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A SHORT f^:^ 

AiA plain instruction for the better understanding of the 

LORD S SUPPER ; 

With the necessary preparation required : for the benefit 

OF YOUNG COMMUNICANTS, 

And of such as have not well considered this 
Holj^ Ordinance, 

To which is annexed^ 
The Office of the Holy Communion. 

I?7M proper Helps and Directions^ for joining' in ever^ 
part thereof -with understanding and benefit. 



By the late right reverend father in Gud, 
THOMAS WILSON, 

Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, 



The first American from the sixteenlli London 
ediiion, adapted to the use of the Protestant 
Episcopal Churcli in this country. 



FREDERICRrrOJVJSr, Md. 
PUBLISHED BY CHARLES MANN. 

Samuel Barnes, printer. 
1817. 












\ 



PREFACE. 

I have often considered and found 
by experience, that there is no way 
so likely to influence the lives of 
christians ; to inspire young people 
with a sense of religion; to keep them 
from backsliding ; and to secure, if 
possible, the growing age from the 
sad contagion of the present ; as by 
leading them very early to an ordi- 
nance, in which all the means of 
grace and salvation are exhibited to 
their view, and in order to which 
they are always required to consider 
their ways ; to renew their purposes 
of obedience ; and to beg those 
graces which are necessary to fit 
them for Heaven and happiness. I 
have therefore, in the following pa- 
pers, endeavoured to make this holy 
ordinance, and the duties required, 
as piain as may be to the meanest 
capacity. 



VV PRE FACE. 

And I hope I have taken care, a^ 
on one hand not to flatter sinners, so 
on the other, not to fill the minds of 
yonng people with unnecessary feara 
and scraples, or with the difficulties 
of a due preparation, with respect to 
a duty which ought to be the prac- 
tice of their whole lives : as if nobo- 
dy ought to go to this sacrament, but 
such as are as perfect as ever they 
hope to be. 

I have therefore, in these short 
devotions, consulted both the capaci- 
ties and tempers of young commiinu 
cants ^ for whoseiise this is chiefly in- 
tended^ who are apt to be impatient 
and weary of long prayers. 

And I would hope that the speci- 
men of devotions, before and after 
the communion, will not only answer 
that end, but will be of use to lead 
christians to make proper reflec- 
Jtions, when they read, at other times: 
for want of which these Holy writ- 
ings are too often read and heard 
without any great benefit, and with* 



iW 



PREFACE. T 

oivt affecting the minds, or influenc- 
in«* the lives of those who hear them 
daily. 

iraving observed, with eoncerno 
how often people distract themselves 
with turning to other hooks of devo« 
tion, when they should attend to the 
public service of the church j to pre- 
vent this, 1 have added the whole 
communion service, with such short 
observations, prayers, ejaculations, 
^•c. as may be proper to help devout 
minds, without diverting them from 
the duty they are about. 

And the observations upon the 
Bubricks, upon the commandments 
and warnings, ^c. which should be 
consulted at home, will be of use to 
show those of our communion, how 
well the church has provided for the 
instruction^ edification^ and salvation^ 
of all her members. 

In short, there is nothing wanting 

. to make this Holy ordinance to be 

reverenced, and closed with, by all 



VI PREFACE, 

persons, and upon all occasion s, but 
a true uac^erstanding of its meaning, 
and the blessings annexed to it : 
where this end is in any good measure 
attained, either by this, or any other 
books on this subject, God will be ^ 
greatly glorified ; which is the great 
enu iiitended by the following pa- 
pers, and prayed for, by 

THE AUTHOR 



A SHORT 

Introduction to the true understanding of the 

LORD'S SUPPER; 

With preparatory devotionSfiniendedfor the be- 
nefit of young covirminicants* 

SECTION I. 

THERE are two Holy ordinances 
or sacraments appointed by Jesus 
Christ as most especial means of ob- 
taining grace and salvation : which 
no christian who hopes to be saved, 
must wilfully neglect. These are 
baptism^ and the Lord'^s supper. 

It must be supposed, that you have 
already been made partaker of one of 
these two sacraments, viz : that of 
baptism^ by which you were admitted 
into the congregation of Christ's 
flock, were restored to the favour of 
God, and had the Holy Spirit com- 
municate4 to you, for a principle of 
a new anw spiritual life ; iu order to 



2 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

awaken you^ and to direct and assist 
that natural reason with which God 
has endued all mankind. 

But forasmuch as you have done 
many things contrary to the promise 
made in your name, when you were 
baptized, and will stand in need of 
greater degrees of grace and assist- 
ance, to enable you to resist the temp- 
tations of the world, the flesh, and the 
devil, and to do your duty in that 
state of life unto which the Provi- 
dence of God shall call you ; you are 
therefore now called upon to be par- 
taker of the other sacrament, that 
of the LovdPs supper ; by which, up- 
on your sincere repentance, you may 
obtain the pardon of all your past 
sins, and such other graces as you 
stand in need of, to bring you to 
eternal life and happiness. 

Take eare therefore, that you un- 
derstand what you are called to, as 
well as you are able : and God ex- 
pects no more. 

For if you go to the Lord^s supper 
without considering the iieason of 



TO THE LORD^S SLTPER. 6 

that ordinancej and tlie very great 
concern you have in it; without see- 
ing the necessity and blessing of a 
Redeemer, you will go with indiffer- 
ence, and return without such bene- 
fit as you might otherwise hope for. 

To prevent this, you should seri- 
ously consider what account the Ho- 
ly' Scriptures have given us of the 
condition we are in, both with res- 
pect to this life and the life which is 
to come. 

That is, that we are by nature 
sinners ; and that as such, Grod can- 
not take pleasm*e in us ; and that if 
we die, before we are restored to his 
favour, we shall be separated from 
Him, and miserable forever. 

This will lead you to enquire, how 
the nature of man came to be thus 
disordered, and prone to evil ; for 
you must not imagine, that God, 
who is infinitely good, created man in 
such a state of corruption, as you 
now see and feel him to be ; but that 
he must have fallen into this wretch- 
ed condition, since he came out of 
the hands of bis creator. 



^ A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

And so the scripture informs us. 
In the third chapter of Genesis, we 
have this following account of the 
state of man, hefore and after the 
fall : 

That Adam and Eve, from whom 
sprang all mankind, were created in 
the image of God ; that is, holy and 
innocent; having a perfect knowledge 
of their duty, a command of their will 
and affections, and a power^ through 
the grace of God, to do what they 
saw fit to be done. 

In this condition they were placed 
in Paradise, in a ^tate of trial, with 
the promise of immortal life and hap- 
piness, if they should continue to 
fear, to love, to honour, and obey 
their creator; as also with an express 
waining, of the dreadful conse- 
quence of their disobedience. 

Notwithstanding which warnings 
they, through the temptation of the 
Devil, transgressed the commands of 
God ; and, by doing so, they did not 
only forfeit all right to the promise 
of eternal life and happiness^ but al- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 5 

SO contracted such a blindness in the 
understanding, such a disorder in 
their will and affections, as all their 
posterity feel to their sorrow ; and 
became subject to sin, and the pu- 
nishment of sin, which is misery and 
death. 

Concerning the nature and great- 
ness of this sin, we are to judge of 
it by the greatness of the punishment 
inflicted upon them, and their posjte- 
rity. For God being infinitely just 
and Holy, could not inflict a punish- 
ment greater than their sin deserv- 
ed. 

Now this was the occasion of that 
universal corruption and wickedness 
which you see and hear of in the 
world, and which you cannot but, in 
some measure, feel in your own na- 
ture ; for, as the scripture informs 
us, Genesis v. 3. Adam begat his 
children in his own likeness ; that is, 
with such a depraved nature as his 
was then become. 

And now consider into what a sad 
condition these unhappy offenders 





S A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

had brought themselves; and remem- 
ber that this is your own condition, 
and the condition of all their poste- 
rity. 

The law of nature and reason was 
full in force, and could not possibly 
be dispensed with. At tbe same time 
they found, by sad experience, that, 
as St. Paul describes the fallen state 
of man, there was a law in their 
members warring against the law of 
their minds ; so that the good which 
they would, they did not ; but the 
evil that they would not, that they 
did. Rom. vii. 

There could not sure be a condition 
more deplorable than this; to live 
only to contract evil habits -, and, by 
doing so, to increase their guilt, to 
displease their creator, and to leave 
an offspring as miserable as them- 
selves. 

This therefore, gave occasion to 
God to manifest another of his most 
glorious perfections, that is, his infi- 
nite goodness and mercy. 

For God foreseeing this lamenta- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 7 

ble condition into wliicli they had 
fallen by departing from tlieir obedi- 
ence, his goodness had provided such 
a remedy, as that neither they nor 
any of their posterity should, on ac- 
count of their fall, be eternally mi- 
serable, except through their own 
fault. 

He therefore, in consideration of a 
redeemer, one of the seed of the wo* 
man, who should make full satisCac- 
tion to the divine justice for their 
transgression, and who should bruise 
the he^id, or break the power, of that 
serpent (the devil) which tempted 
them to sin ; in consideration of this 
promised seed, God entered into a 
new covenant with them, by v>ay of 
remedy for what was past, and could 
not be undone. 

We have reason to believe that this 
new covenant was more fully explain- 
ed to Adam, than is set down in this 
short account given us by Moses, and 
as it is more fully explained in the 
gospel ; and w hich was to this pur- 
pose ; that, on condition of their sin- 

B 



a A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

cere repentance and sincere obedi- 
ence afterwards, they should be res- 
tored to the favour of God ; and after 
death, to that life and happiness, 
Tvhich in their state of innocence was 
promised to them without tasting of 
death ; w hich favour they had forfeit- 
ed by their disobedience. 

And when we consider that our 
first parents, now become sinners, 
stood in need of an atonement, with- 
out which, while under the displea- 
sure of God, their very lives must be 
a burden ; and it being decreed by 
God, as it afterwards appeared, that 
without shedding of blood there was 
to be no remission of sin, i. e. with- 
out the death of the sinner, or some 
one in his stead ; we do therefore 
conclude, that, at this time, God did 
appoint sacrifices, or sin-oflferings, to 
make an atonement for the soul, and 
to foreshew the sacrifice of Jesus 
Christ (which we now commemorate) 
until he should be ofl'ered in behalf of 
them, and all their posterity. 

And this appears from what fol- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 9 

lows ifii the next chapter of Genesis, 
where we find Ahel by faith, (that is 
believing and depending upon tliis 
ordinance of God, for the remission 
of sins, until the promised redeemer 
should come ; we find him) offering 
a sacrifice which was acceptable to 
Godj that is a sin-offering, which his 
brother not doing was rejected. 

But here take notice, and remem- 
ber, that these sacrifices could not 
take away sin, but only through obe- 
dience to the ordinance of God, and 
through faith in the promised seed. 

They were, indeed, very instruc- 
tive, and proper to lead sinners to re- 
pentance, and amendment of life, 
when they saw that their sins could 
not be forgiven, but by the death of 
an innocent creature, bleeding and 
dying before their eyes, to make an 
atonement for their sin. 

And as ail good men. before the 
coming of Christ, did most religious- 
ly keep up the remembrance of the 
promised seed, and obtained the par- 
don of theif sins, and acceptance witli 



10 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

God, upon oftering sacrifices througli 
faith in a redeemer which was to 
come ; so all christians, since the 
coming of that redeemer, are obliged 
as they hope for pardon and favour 
from God, to keep up the remem- 
brance of God's great mercy, in send- 
ing us a redeemer, and of what that 
redeemer has done to save us ; and 
this in the manner which he himself 
hath ordained. 

Now, that you may be more sensi- 
ble of, and thankful to God for this 
liis infinite loving kindness, and that 
you may be fully convinced of the 
necessity and blessing of a redeemer, 
you ought to know and consider, that 
our saviour and redeemer came not, 
until man had been tried in all con- 
ditions, in a state of innocence, under 
the government of his own reason, 
and under the law given by Moses. 
All which methods of Providence, 
through the perverse will of man, 
had been rendered inefiectual for the% 
amendment of the worltL Notwith- 
standing which, such was the good- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 11 

ness of God, that he sent, after al!^ 
his own beloved son, to take our na- 
ture upon him, and to assure man- 
kind of the tender love which he had 
for his poor creatures, which were 
ruining themselves, without perceiv- 
ing the danger they were in. 

This was the promised seed ! pro- 
mised to Adam, as he that should 
break the serpent's head, or power of 
the devil : promised to xVbraham, as 
he in whom all the nations of the 
eai'th should be blessed : promised to 
the people of Israel, as that prophet 
whom they should hear and obey at 
their peril : lastly, promised to Da- 
vid, as one whose kingdom should 
have no end. And indeed it was with 
this promise that God supported the 
spirits of all who feai'ed him, and 
were in fear for themselves, until the 
fullness of the time for his appear* 
ance should come. 

And now this promised redeemer 

being come, he &^st showed by his 

own example, recorded in the gospel, 

how men must live, so as to please 

B 2 



^Z A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

God. And the law of nature as well 
as the law of Moses, having through 
sin heen much obscured and pervert- 
ed, he explained them, and gave us 
such other laws and rules, as w ere ab- 
solutely necessary, to mend our na- 
ture, to restore us to the image of 
God, to keep us^from backsliding, 
and to fit us for heaven and happi- 
ness. 

And because in the decrees of God, 
as was before observed, without shed- 
ding of blood there could be no re- 
mission of sin ; audit being impossi- 
ble that the blood of life of any other 
creature^ or of any mortal man, could 
take away the guilt and punishment 
due to sin , our gracious God, both to 
give to mankind the greatest token of 
his love, and at the same time to shew 
how great his hatred to sin is, by the 
gi'eatness of the punishment it re- 
quired, he sent his own son to be th€ 
propitiation of our own sins ; that is, 
to make satisfaction to his justice, and 
to take off the just displeasure which 
he had declared against sinnerSo 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPER. 13 

And his son (blessed forever be his 
goodness) knowing how dreadfully 
sad the condition would be of all such 
who should live and die under the 
displeasure of God, and what uncon- 
ceivable happiness they would de- 
prive themselves of ; he therefore^ 
moved with compassion for so great 
a calamity, undertook to obtain thek* 
pardon. 

In order to this, he cloathed him- 
self with our flesh, that, as man, he 
might suffer what our "sins had de- 
served; and, as he was the son of God, 
he might make a full and suitable sa- 
tisfaction to the divine justice, offer- 
ing himself a sacrifice for the sins of 
the whole world : and for the joy of 
delivering so many milfions of souls 
from misery, he endured the death of 
the cross, and all the afflictions lead- 
ing to it, which we find recorded in 
the gospel. 

And, by this worthy sacrifice, all 
mankind are restored to the favour of 
God, and put into a way and state cf 
salvation ; God having, for his son's 



i^ A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

sake, promised to pardon all such as 
shall repent and forsake their sins, 
and hring forth fruits meet for repen- 
tance ; as also to give his Holy spirit 
to all such as shall sincerely desire 
him : and lastjy, to make them eter- 
nally happy after death, if during this 
&hort state of trial, which is designed 
to mend om' corrupt and disordered 
nature, they endeavoured to observe 
the rules which he has given them, 
and which are absolutely necessary 
to make thefli capable of Heaven and 
happiness. 

Stop here a ><^hile, and adore the 
Infinite goodness of God, who did not 
overlook lost mankind, but sent his^ 
son to redeem us. 

He might in strict justice have re- 
quired men to have lived up to the 
law of nature and reason given in the 
state of innocence, on pain of being 
for ever separated from his presence: 
but, instead of that, he has been gra- 
ciously pleased to accept of our sin- 
cere though imperfect obedience, aud 
of our sincere repentauee, wheja we 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 15 

have done amiss, and return to our 
duty. 

Consider this seriously .- and you 
cannot but express your thankfulness 
after some such manner as this: 

THE PRAYER. 

Blessed be God for ever for this 
instance of his love to fallen man- 
kindj in committing the miserable 
case of his unhappy creatures to no 
less a person than his own son! — We 
are not worthy of all the mercies 
which thou hast shewed thy servants. 
Grant, O God, that this wonderful 
love may not be lost upon me : But, 
that knowing my sad condition by 
nature, I may be truly convinced of 
the necessity and jblessing of a re- 
deemer: and that I may, with a heart 
full of gratitude, joia with the church 
in giving our devoutestthanks to thee, 
and in keeping up the remembrance 
of what thy blessed son has done and 
suffered for us ; to whem^ with thee 
and the holy ghost, be dl honor, 
praise, and thanksgiving, for ever and 
ever. AmeUo 



•TTS 



16 .4 SHORT INTRODUCTION 

SECT. IL 

The end and institution of the Lord^s 
Supper. 

St. Paul concludes his first epistle 
to the Corinthians with this remarka- 
ble direction ; — If any man love not 
the Lord Jesus, let him be anathema, 
maranatha ; that is, let him be se- 
parated from your communion, as 
one under the displeasure of God, 
and, without a timely repentance, in 
no possibility of bejng saved : — No- 
thing being more grievous in the 
sight of God, than for a sinner to 
slight the greatest instance of his 
mercy that ever was offered to man, 
as well as the only means of his sal- 
vation. 

To prevent this, and to hinder sin- 
ners from forgetting (which they are 
but too apt to do) this token of God"s 
infinite lo\e, and to fix the love of Je- 
ans Christ more surely in our hearts 
and memory, he himself hath taken 
care, that his love and mercy should 
throughout all generations, be re- 
membered ; he did therefore ordain 



w^ 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 17 

this sacrament as a memorial of our 
redemption, and of his love for us ; 
as a pledge to assure us ot it ; and as 
an outward means and sign of testi- 
fying, as well as increasing, our love 
to liim. 

The holy apostles of Christ, who 
w ere present when he first adminis- 
tered this sacrament, give us the fol- 
lowing account of its end and insti- 
tution : 

They signify to us, in the first 
place, that this sacrament was or- 
dained hy Christ the same night in 
which he was beti'ayed; and after 
they had observed the passover, which 
had been ordained to preserve the 
memory of their great deliverance 
from the bondage of Egypt, and 
which did prefigure, and was a pro- 
phecy of a much greater deliverance, 
which Jesus Christ was to be the au- 
thor of, not only for them but for all 
mankind ; and which prophecy was 
surprisingly fulfilled by that people, 
without knowing what they were do- 
ing, when they crucified Jesus Clmst^ 



18 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

the true Paschal Lamb, the very 
same month, the very same day of 
the month, and the very same hour of 
the day, that the Paschal lamb was 
first ordained to be sacrificed. 

Now, after the Paschal supper, as 
the apostles relate it, Jesus Christ 
took bread, and. blessed it, and brake 
it, and gave it to his disciples, say- 
ing, take, eat : tliis is my body, which 
is given for you. This do in remem- 
brance of mo. He took also the cup, 
and gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
saying, drink ye all of this ; for this 
is my blood of the new covenant, 
which is shed for you, and for many, 
for the remission of sins : this do, as 
oft as ye shall drink it, in remem- 
brance of me ; for as oft as ye shall 
eat this bread, and drink this cup, €lo 
ye show the Lord's death till he 
come. 

In obedience therefore to this com- 
mand of Jesus Christ, who has deli- 
vered us from a much greater bon- 
dage than that of Egypt, the chris- 
tian church keeps up tlie memory of 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPKK. i^ 

liis love, his sacrifice, and his suffer- 
ings, and death, after this solemn 
manner : 

First, as an acknowledgment, that 
our lives, and all that we eat or drink 
to preserve them, are owing to the 
bounty of God, we present upon his 
table, by the hands of his own mini- 
ster, a portion of his creatures, the 
best we have for the support and 
comfort of our natural life, namely, 
bread and wine. After this the bread 
and wine ar^ consecrated, the bread is 
broken, and the wine poured out, to 
represent the death of Christ, whose 
body was broken, and whose blood 
was shed for us. 

Then the minister of God, as the 
steward of Christ's household, applies 
these blessings to every person, who 
receives this sacrament, in this de- 
vout prayer : the body and blood of 
Christ, which were given and shed 
for thee, preserve thy body and soul 
unto everlasting life. 
, And we may be assured of it, that 
this sacrament will be to every wor- 



20 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

thy communicant, ^vhat the tree of 
life would have been unto Adam and 
Eve in Paradise: and that as they, had 
thev continued obedient, would have 
been in no danger of temporal death; 
even so we, while we feed on this 
bread, now endued with a lifegiving 
spirit, and live as we ought to do, are 
in no danger of death eternal. 

These being pledges to assure us, 
that as certainly as bread and wine 
do nourish our bodies, so do these seal 
to us all the benefits which Jesus 
Christ hath purchased for us, by his 
sacrifices and death. 

And when any christian does wil- 
fully, and for want of faith, deprive 
himself of this spiritual food, he falls, 
as our first parents did, into a state 
purely natural, and destitute of the 
means of grace and sahation. 

For the happiness of the world, 
and of every soul in it, depends upon 
the sacrifice of Christ ; of which we 
are bound to keep up the remem^ 
brance after this solemn manner; 

That, whenever we pray for any fa- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 21 

voiir or blessing, we may remember 
to do it in his name : tliut, Avheiievei' 
we are so unhappy as to have done 
any thing which may displease God, 
we may remember to pray to be for- 
given for Clirist's sake. 

For God grants w hatever we ask, 
and which he sees to be for our good, 
when we ask in faith, that is, in liis 
son's name; and therefore the churcli 
concludes all her prayers in these 
most prevailing words ; " for Jesus 
Christ's sake.'' 

In one word, we do by this sacra- 
ment keep up a continual correspon- 
dence with our Lord in Heaven ; and 
hold communion with him, and with 
all the members of his body, which 
receive nourivshment and growth 
from Him, as the branches from the 
tree in which they are grafted, and 
from which when they are separated, 
they can bear no fruit, and are only 
fit to be burned. 

And as every christian is obliged, 
at the peril of his soul, to obs3n^ it, 
so the duty must be such, as every 



2% A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

one, even the most unlearned, may 
understand, if it is not his own fault. 

And so indeed it is : for as an Is- 
raelite, Levite, i. 4. under the law, be- 
ing obliged to lay his hand upon the 
head of his sacrifice, confessing his 
sins, and laying them, as it w ere, up- 
on that creature, as he did easily un- 
derstand, that this was to shew him, 
that death was the due reward of sin; 
that this ought to humble him before 
God, and to give him the greatest 
abhorrence of sin, which could not be 
pardoned but by the loss of the life of 
an innocent creature : 

As this was plain to the meanest 
Israelite, even so the most unlearned 
christian, when he considers, that our 
Lord Jesus Christ became a sacrifice 
for us, and that on him all our sins 
were laid, on him who knew no sin ; 
he will easily understand how sad our 
condition was, which required such a 
sacrifice : that this therefore ought to 
humble us, to lead us to repentance, 
to make us fearful of oflfending God, 
and to abhor those sins which cost 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 23 

Jesus Christ his lifejhefore God could 
be prevailed with to pardon them. 

He will also easily understand, that 
the love of Christ and the remem- 
brance of his death, ought to be very 
dear to us ; and that the oftener we 
remember it in the manner he or- 
dained, the more graces we shall re- 
ceive from God : the firmer will be 
our faith, the surer our pardon^ and 
the more comfortable our hopes of 
meeting him, not as an enemy, but 
as a friend, at whose table we have 
been so often entertained. 

And now, if you have considered 
what you have read with any degree 
of attention, you will pause a while, 
until you have expressed your grati- 
tude for this mercy, after some such 
manner as this following : 

THE PRAYER. 

O Jesus, who hast loved us, and 
washed us from aur sins, and pur- 
chased us by thy own blood, and didst 
ordain this sacrament^ in order to se- 
cure us to thyself, by a grateful re- 

C 2 



^\ A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

membrance of >vhat thou hast done 
and suffered for us, and make me tru- 
ly sensible of thy love, and of our sad 
condition, which did require such a 
sacrifice. 

May I always receive this pledge 
of thy love, the oflfers of mercy, par- 
don, and grace, tendered to us in this 
holy ordinance, with a thankful heart 
and in remembrance of thee, our 
great and best benefactor; in remem- 
brance of thy holy example, of thy 
heavenly doctrine, of thy laborious 
life, of thy bitter passion and death, 
of thy glorious resurrection, of thy 
ascension into heaven, and of thy 
coming again to judge the world ! 

And may I never forget the obli- 
gation thou hast laid upon us, to live 
as becomes thy disciples ; and to for- 
sake every course of life contrary to 
thy gospel : cease not, O Lord, to love 
us ; and by the grace vouchsafed in 
rthis ordinance, cause us to love thee 
with all our hearts. Amen. 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPER. 2^ 

SECT. III. 

How a christian ought to prepare him- 
self for this sacrament. 

As the above account of this holy 
ordinance is easy to be understood, 
even by the most learned christian j 
so the preparation required is such, 
as will neither puzzle the understand- 
ing, nor burden the memory, nor take 
up too much of the time, of those 
that are engaged in the most neces- 
sary employment of life. 

The church had regard to all her 
members, when she gave this short 
and plain direction to such as prepare 
to go to the Lord's Supper. 

That they examine themselves, 

Whether they repent them truly of 
their former sins ? 

Whether they stedfastly purpose to 
lead a new life ? 

Whether they have a lively faith in 
God's mercy through Christ ? 

Whether they have a thankful re- 
membrance of his death ? and 

Whether they be in charity with all 
men ? 



26 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

NoAV, forasmuch as all christians, 
who are capable of examining them- 
selves, and their own consciences, are 
bound, as they hope for salvation 
through Christ, to go to this sacra- 
ment : and because young people are 
often at a loss how to examine them- 
selves upon these several heads : here 
follow a few plain directions, which 
they that can read, should read with 
care ; and they that cannot, if they 
have a true concern for themseh es, 
will find some good christian, who 
will be glad to read it to them, and 
do thereby a work which must be 
well pleasing to God. 

Thejirst head on which you are to ex- 
amine yourself^ iSy concerning re- 
pentance. 

By what you have already heard 
concerning the fall of man, you un^ 
derstand how all men became sub- 
ject and prone to sin ; and you can- 
not but feel it to be so by sad experi- 
ence. We are assured also, and this 
by the spirit of God, that without a 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 37 

sincere repentance no man must 
hope to be saved. 

Now by repentance you are to un- 
derstand a man's condemning him- 
self, for having done any thing dis- 
pleasing to God ; — ^either such things 
as God has forbidden, to keep us from 
ruining ourselves ; or by omitting 
such duties as he has commanded^ in 
order to fit us for happiness when we 
die. 

So that if either the fear of God's 
displeasure, or a love of him who has 
been so good to you, will weigh with 
you, you will most heartily condemn 
yourself for every thing you have 
done contrary to his will and com- 
mand. 

You will also beg him most ear- 
nestly, to forgive you what is past ; 
and you will promise and resolve, 
through his grace and help, not wil- 
fully to offend him again. 

And, lastly, you will not forget to 
pray for his grace every day of your 
life ; without which your best reso- 
lutions will come to nothing. 



28 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

This is that repentance, concern- 
ing wliich you are required to examine 
yourself, before you go to the Lord's 
Supper. 

Most people, 'tis true, are ready to 
own, that they are sinners, and cry, 
Lord, forgive us ; and this too often 
without any great concern, or pur* 
poses of amendment. 

But this you will not think suf- 
ficient, when 30U seriously consider, 
that the end and punishment of sin 
are not to be seen in this life. 

If therefore you stand in any fear 
of the judgment of God, set yourself 
seriously to consider your past life ; 
see whether you have not lived, or do 
not now live, in any known sin, or 
evil habit : Of lying — for example : 
or swearing" — or drinking— or filthy 
talking;- — Of uncleanness — of keep- 
ing loose and profane company — of 
following unwarrantable pleasures 
and diversions — or of leading an idle, 
useless, sinful life. 

If this has been your case, resolve 
to break oft* all thescj and all such- 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 29 

like evil ways, which are displeasing 
to God ; condemn yourself for having 
so desperately broken the commands 
of one vrlio can destroy both body and 
soul in Hell : Consider the vows that 
are upon you, — and despise not the 
goodness and forbearance of God, 
which is designed to lead you to re- 
pentance. 

If you ask when you are to begin 
this necessary work (if it is not al- 
ready begun) the answer is short : 
The very moment you ask the ques- 
tion; — and this, because if you find 
an unwillingness in yourself to set 
about it now, chat unwillingness will 
every day increase : yery probably 
you will never repent, unless God by 
his judgments, or by the sight of 
death, shews you your sad error, 
when it may be too late to be of any 
real use to you. 

Now, if these considerations affect 
your heart, as sure they will, if you 
have any regard for your salvation, 
represent your desires to God in some 
such words as these folfowing :. 



30 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

THE PRAYER. 

Blessed be God, who by his grace^ 
and by the voice of his church, hath 
called me to repentance ! discover to 
me, O thou searcher of hearts, the 
charge that is against me, that I may 
know, and confess, and forsake the 
sins I have fallen into. Give me that 
true repentance, to which thou hast 
promised mercy and pardon, that I 
may amend where I have done amiss, 
and that iniquity may not be my 
ruin — and, O blessed advocate, who 
ever live St to make intercession for 
us, I put my cause into thy hands: 
let thy blood and merits plead for me, 
and by thy mighty intercession pro- 
^cure for me the pardon of my past 
offences. That thou mayest say unto 
me, as thou didst unto the penitent 
in the gospel — thy sins are forgiven; 
so that I may go with a quiet con- 
science to thy holy table. Amen. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 51 

SECT. IV. 

Concerning the purposes yon are to 

make of leading a new, that is, a 

chnstian life. 

In the first place, take especial no- 
tice, that God accepts of our repent- 
ance on this condition only, that we 
may afterwards glorify him hy an 
holy christian life. 

And as he delivered the people of 
Israel from bondage, not that they 
might do w hat w as right in their own 
eyes, but that, becoming an holy na- 
tion, they might be an honour to their 
deliverer — Dent. xiv. 2. — Even so 
Christ has redeemed us from the 
bondage of sin and satan, that he 
might redeem us from this present 
evil w orld, and purify unto himself a 
people zealous of good w orts. 

And as the former perished, tl^at 
is, all such as did not answer the 
end of their deliverance, so most sure- 
ly shall we do, if we do not obey our 
redeemer. 

Your duty to God, your neighbour, 

and yourself, you have known from a 

D 



32 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

child : — Be assured of it you will 
meet with temptations from the de- 
vil, the world, and your own corrupt 
heart, both to neglect and transgress 
the commands of God. 

It will be absolutely necessary there- 
fore, that you arm yourself betimes, 
both with holy resolutions, and with 
this holy ordinance, which you are 
preparing to go to, that you may be 
able, through the grace of God, to go 
on in the way of salvation. 

Now your duty to God is, — to be- 
lieve in him, to fear and love him, 
with all your heart and soul ; foras- 
much as you stand indebted to him 
for all you have or value, or hope for, 
in this or the next life. 

Do but consider how you would be- 
have yourself, if you were but half so 
much obliged to any man on earth ; 
How dearly would you love him! — 
How often would you tldnk of him! — 
How w ould you strive to please him ! 
How would you be grieved, if you 
should be so unhappy as to offend 
himi — How soon and earnestly would 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. S;^ 

yon beg his pardon, to be restored to 
his favonr ! 

N0W5 if yon thus love God. it will 
appear in such instances as these: — 
You will have a very great regard for 
every thing that belongs to hira: — 
You will not use his name to any idle 
or wicked purpose: — You will religi- 
ously observe the day consecrated to 
his honour and service : — You will 
carefully attend the house and wor- 
ship of God : — And behave yourself 
with reverence and devotion, while 
you are in his presence: — You will 
hear his word with attention, and 
have a great regard for his ordinances 
and for the persons whom he hath 
appointed to administer them. 

If you truly fear God, you will part 
with any thing as dear as a right 
hand, or a right eye, rather than pro- 
yoke him, who can destroy both body 
and soul in hell. 

If you believe him to be the foun- 
tain of all good, you will pray to him 
daily. And if you put your whole 
trust in God, as it is your duty to do, 



34 V SHORT INTRODUCTION 

jou will endeavour to be pleased with 
all his dealings with you. You will 
never murmur at the ways of his pro- 
^idenee, nor suffer your heart to fret 
against the Lord. And especially, 
you will never attempt to hetter or 
secure your condition by any evil 
ways: — Believing assuredly, that God 
can and will make you full amends 
in the next life, for what you w ant or 
^nWev in this, in submission to his 
will. 

Lastly, your duty is to be thankful 
to God. The way to be so is, to look 
ijpon every mercy you receive as the 
gift of God: Every danger you es- 
cape, as owing to his care and provi- 
dence : Every good thought, every 
good purpose, every occasion of do- 
ing good, as the effect of his good 
spirit. 

Think, and act, and purpose thus : 
and it will be as natural to thank 
God for all the dispensations of his 
providence, as it is for you to beg any 
blessing from him, which you stand 
most in need of. 



ipiaiipi^ i.K 



TO THE LORIVS SUPPER. S^ 

Stop awhile, until you Imve con- 
sidered these things, and until you 
have expressed your sense of them 
in this following prayer. 

THE PRAYER. 

This is indeed the first and great 
coRimand, to love thee, O God, with 
all our lieart ; for on this depends our 
salvation. But even this must be 
the gift of thy grace ; For this grace 
I now apply to thee, to make my 
love and fear of thee the governing 
principle of my whole life : that 1 
may always do what I believe will 
please thee : that I may carefully 
avoid what I know will offend thee : 
and that I may live as having thee 
the constant witness of my thoughts, 
words, and actions. 

Give me a stedfast faith in thy 
word and promises ; a firm trust in 
thy power : Let the fear of thy jus- 
tice keep me from presumption, and 
a sense of thy goodness from despair. 
Defend me from all those bewitching 
snares which destroy our love of thee; 



36 ^ SHORT INTRODUCTION 

from worldly cares ; from all sensual 
and sinful pleasures ; from cvii com- 
pany ; from foolish diversions ; and 
from erery thing that may make me 
foi'get, that thim alone art v> orthy to 
be feared and loved : grant me these 
miercies for thy son Jesus Christ his 
sake ; whose love and death we are 
going to commemorate. Amen. 

SECT. V. 

Tour duty to your neighbour and 
yourself. 

This is the second great command 
and will require the most solemn res- 
olutions you can make, before you go 
to the lord's supper. 

Consider therefore whether you 
can sincerely resolve as follows : 

1 dare not, 1 will not, be indifferent 
how I lead ray life. — I know what 
God has commanded me, and I pur- 
pose sincerely to t»o it. 

I will, in the first place, be obedi- 
ent to the lawful commands of my 
superiors, and especially to those who 
watch for my soul. I do sincerely 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPER. 3- 

purpose in all my dealings to remem- 
ber the command given me by my 
Saviour, tliou sbaltlove thy neii^-libor 
as tlivseif. And therefore I will make 
a conscience of doing the least wrong 
to any man ; of usinsf any deceit or 
fraud5'^or oppression ; or of taking ad- 
vantage of the ignorance, mistakes, 
or necessity of my neighbour ; know- 
ing: assuredly, that he v/ho wrong;s 
his neighbour, does the greatest inju- 
ry to himself. And if at any time I 
am convinced that I have done him 
any wrong, I will make him satisfac- 
tion, as far as I am able, without be- 
ing forced by lav/, to do unto others 
w hat I would they should do unto me. 

To this end I w ill endeavor to live 
peaceably and charitably with all peo- 
ple; avoiding all malice, and revenge, 
and evil-speaking, and contention, as 
much as possibly I can. And I will 
speak truth at all times, and especi- 
ally when 1 am called to my oath, 
whether it be for, or against my 
tf orldly interest. 

As to the duty I owe to myself, I 



3S A SHORT INTRODUCTIOT^^ 

am convinced, that my first and greai 
concern onglit to be, to take care of 
my own soul. 

I do therefore stedfastly purpose 
to lead a serious life, as one under the 
sentence of death ought to do : to be 
sober, temperate, and chaste ; that 
when I die, I may be admitted into 
the Paradise of God, where no un- 
clean thing must enter. 

To this end, I resolve to keep a 
watch over myself, that I may avoid 
all such company, such pleasures and 
diversions, as may make me lose tlie 
remembrance of death, and the ac- 
count I must give. 

I will endeavor to be content with 
my condition, not coveting what is 
another man's, neither envying the 
prosperity, nor taking pleasure in the 
calamities, of my neighbour. 

And forasmuch as a life of idleness 
and luxury is hateful to God, I will 
strive to do my duty in the state of 
life, in which his Providence has 
placed me ; not flattering myself, 
tliat I do no evil^ when I do bo good 



^i^,'J" v"»Ji<l/ 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. S9 

in my generation, lest tlie sentence 
npon the nnlVuitful tree be passed 
upon me, cut it down, why cumbereth 
it the ground ? 

These duties I will endeavour to 
perform, as a proof of the leve and re- 
verence I bear to God, who is so good 
as to accept of my repentance, and 
a sincere, though imperfect ohedi- 
ence. 

And if through weakness, tempta- 
tion, or sudden surprise, I shall be so 
unhappy as to forget any of these re- 
solutions, and fall into sin, I will, as 
soon as I perceive it, beg God's par- 
don, and be more careful for the time 
to come. 

Now if vour conscience can wit- 
ness for you, that you piously pur- 
pose to live after this manner, you 
may safely go to the Lord's table, and 
the blessing of God will go along 
with you. 

Go no further till you have consi- 
dered those purposes again ; for they 
are to be the purposes of your whole 
life, and of every day of your life. 



40 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

And then address yourself to God, 
that throngli his gracious assistance, 
they may make the more lasting im- 
pression upon your mind. 

THE PRAYEE. 

Gracious God who hast given us 
precepts, and an example to walk hy, 
let the remcubrance of them be al- 
ways seasonably present with me, — 
Give me grace to practice them con- 
scientiously, to reverence my betters^ 
and all that are in authority, and 
especially such as are ordained to 
pray for, and to bless us in thy name^ 
Let my love for thee, and for my 
neighbour, keep me from all acts of 
injustice, or injury, to his body, or 
good name; let me never wilfully 
vex or trouble him ; never covet 
what is his, or envy his prosperity. 
May I ever be ready to help and com- 
fort all such as are in distress ! give 
me grace to be faithful in all things 
committed to my trust ; that I may 
never pervert truth and justice ; ne- 
ver propagate slander, or raise evil 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. W 

reports, nor even tempt others to sin. 
Give me the spirit of temperance and 
chastity, and grant that I may never 
provoke thee hy any instance of un- 
cleanness to shut me out of Heaven, 
where no unclean thing can enter. 
Give me grace so to order my con- 
versation, that I may encourage 
others to live as becomes the gospel 
of Jesus Christ; for whose sake 1 beg 
to be heard. Amen. 

SECT. TI. 

The necct thing yon are to enquire in- 
to is^ whether yon have a lively faith 
in God^s mercy through Christ. 
Now because so very much de- 
pends upon our having such a faith, 
the Holy Ghost has given us all the 
arguments, all the assurance, that 
our hearts can desire. God so loved 
the world, that he spared not his own 
son (saith the apostle) but gave him 
up for us all, Eom. viii. 32. Can 
there be a greater, a surer pledge of 
the love of God for his poor creatures? 
He made lii:a to be sin (that is, a sin- 



44 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

offering:) He delivered him to death 
in our stead : can we, after this, doubt 
of, or distrust, the mercy ot God ? 

Observe the method St. Paul takes 
to confirm our faith, by giving us the 
strongest proofs of our acceptance 
with God ; God, saith he, commended 
his love to us, in that while we were 
enemies we were reconciled to him 
by the death of his son; much more, 
being reconciled, we shall be saved by 
his life — Rom. v. 10. What may we 
not, after this, hope for from God ? 

In short, Jesus Christ has redeem- 
ed us from the curse of the law. — 
Through him we have peace with 
God — Rom. V. i. This is the only 
foundation of our faith, our hope, and 
confidence. He is our sacrifice, our 
mediator, our advocate ; the know- 
ledge of which ought to remove all 
occasions of despair and feai*, from 
th« displeasure of God. 

Indeed if we should attempt to go 
to God, without an interest in Christ, 
wo could hope for nothing but to be 
rejected j but when we go to him, as 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 43 

redeemed by his own son, and repre- 
sent to liini, as we do in this holy sa- 
crament, what lie has done and suf- 
fered for us, we approach him as en- 
tirely reconciled to us. 

But then you must remember, that 
he gave himself for us, and hath re- 
deemed us from tlie power of the de- 
vil, for this end, that he may purify 
unto himself a people consecrated to 
his service. Consecrate therefore 
yourself to Jesu§ Christ, and with 
faithful Abraham stagger not at the 
promises of God ; but go to this sa- 
crament with a full assurance of faith, 
that God will pardon your sins, and 
give you all the graces you shall stand 
in need of. Only remember, that this 
faith itself is the gift of God, and 
must be prayed for, for Christ's sake ; 
which you may do after this man- 
ner : 

THE PRAYER. 
I beseech thee, O God, by that 
lore which moved thee to give thine 
own son for lost mankind, give me a 

E 



44 fi SHORT INTRODUCTION 

faith in thy promises for his sake, as 
firm as thy word, on >vhich my faith 
is grounded: and let me never pre- 
sume upon thy gracious promises, 
%vithout sincerely endeavouring to 
perform the conditions on which tiiey 
were made, and without heing zeal- 
ous of good works, for which we were 
redeemed. May the remembrance of 
our saviour's love, and of thy great 
mercy, be ever seasonably present 
with me, to keep me from despair ! 
and may my faith in thy promises 
support me in the hour of death ! — 
may my redeemer be my refuge, his 
blood and merits plead for me, that I 
may have my lot and portion with 
those whom he hath purchased with 
his most precious blood. Amen. 

SECT. VII. 

Whether you have a thankful remem- 
brance of ChrisVs death : this is the 
next thing you are to enquire into. 
Now this will always bear some 
proportion to the sense you have of 
the evil he has delivered you from, 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 45 

and tl\c blessing he lias bj his death 
procured for you. 

Consider tlierefore yourself as a 
poor, sinful, lost, undone creature, 
without a redeemer. Consider what 
that redeemer has done for you: what 
he did, and what he suffered, when he 
took upon himself to answer for the 
sins of^men. 

Consider that he was the son of 
God ; that he had done no wrong, 
neither was guile found in his month; 
notwithstanding this, being to answer 
for sinners, he was treated and pun- 
ished as a sinner deserves to be : he 
was despised ! set at nought ! perse- 
cuted and rejected by his own people, 
whom he came to redeem ! 

He was betrayed by his own disci- 
ples ; falsely accused ! unrighteously 
condemned! unmercifully scourged! 
had a murderer preferred before ium! 
was crucified as a malefactor; and, in 
the very midst of his torments, w as 
most inhumanly reviled ! 

Consider the reason of all this. 
It was not only to satisfy the justice 



46 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

of God for the sins of men, and pro- 
cure their pardon upon their repent- 
ance and future obedience ; but also 
to shew mankind, what treatment sin 
and sinners, who have rebelled 
against their maker, do deserve; and 
to teach us, when God orders or per- 
mits us sinners to undergo such in- 
dignities and afflictions in this our 
state of trial, that we ought to take 
our cross patiently as our redeemer 
did ; and be content, and even pleas*- 
ed, to fuliil the will of God, in follow- 
ing his example in his sufferings in 
this life, that we maj be partakers of 
his glory in the next. 

la the next place, consider the 
blessing which Jesus Christ hath by 
his death obtained for us. He hath 
delivered ns from the great power 
which the devil had over mankind, 
by procuring us grace to resist and 
overcome him. He hath prevailed 
with God to overlook the untoward- 
ness of our nature ; to pardon our 
greatest oflences, upon our true re- 
pentance: and, being by his death re- 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPER. 47 

conciled to God5we have, for his sate, 
free liberty to apply to him, as chil- 
dren to a father, for what we stand in 
need of. 

He has also obtained for us the as- 
sistance of an Almighty spirit, to en- 
able us to know, and to do, what is 
necessary to fit us for Heaven and 
happiness. And he has prevailed 
with God that these shall be our cer- 
tain portion, if we are not wanting to 
ourselves. In one word, Jesus Christ 
has entirely freed us from all fears 
of what may come hereafter, if it is 
not purely our own fault. 

The most unlearned christian may 
know what is required of him. 

The greatest sinner may depend 
upon pardon, on his repentance. 

The weakest christian may relj 
upon all necessary assistance. And 
the meanest christian is sure not to 
be overlooked. 

By all which you may perceive 
what thanks you owe to God for your 
great and good redeemer, and for 
what he has done and suffered for 

E 2 



48 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

you ; >vliich you will do well to ex- 
press in some such manner as this : 

THE PRAYEU. 

Give me leave, O God, to mention 
before thee the death of thy son, and 
the infinite blessings I have received 
thereby : add this to all thy favours, 
I beseech thee, that I may never for- 
get these mercies ; never forget to be 
thankful for them ; but that I may 
preserve the remembrance of them 
in the manner which he hath ordain- 
ed. I thank thee, O God, for that 
word, in which thou hast caused these 
thy mercies, and his example, to be 
recorded. Make me truly sensible of 
that love which brought him down 
from Heaven ; and how sad om' con- 
dition was, which required such a sa- 
crifice. May I learn by his patience, 
humility, self-denial, and resignation, 
what virtues are most acceptable ta 
thy divine majesty. And may 1 take 
him for my Lord, and master, and 
teacher, and example ; and dedicate 
myself to thee, and to thy service, 
for his sake. Amen. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 49 

SECT. YIII. 

The last enquiry you are to make^ is, 

whether you are in charily with all 

the world. 

Concerning which, take especial 
notice, that the two great ends of 
this ordinance, mentioned in scrip- 
ture, are : 

The first, to keep np the remem- 
hrance of Christ's death, till his com- 
ing again. 

The second, to he a solemn token 
of our communion with Jesus Christ, 
and of our union and charity with all 
his family. 

To this end he has ordained, that 
as all christians, high and low, rich 
and poor, shall make up one hody, of 
which he is the head ; and one fa- 
mily of which he is the master : So 
they should all eat at one table, of 
one bread, as a sign of that love, and 
peace, and friendship, and readiness 
to help one another, as occasion shall 
require, and as members of the same 
body will naturally do. 

And indeed your acceptance witk 



50 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

God, Mill yery ranch depend npon 
yonr hearty good mIU for every chris- 
tian, and for all mankind. 

Therefore 3011 mnst take especial 
care, lest there be any person with 
whom yon are not at peace — whom 
yon cannot forgive, and pray for, and 
do him all the good that can in rea- 
son be expected from yon : that you 
be disposed to make satisfaction to 
any person that has been injured by 
you, or who may have taken just of- 
fence at your words or actions, this 
being a duty which Jesus Christ him- 
self has commanded. Matt. v. 23. 

And that you be ready to forgive 
every person, who may have injured 
you, as you expect forgiveness of God: 
Eeraembering the ureadful sentence 
mentioned in Matt, xviii. Thou wick- 
ed servant, I forgave thee all thy 
debt : shouldst not thou have had 
compassion on thy fellow-servant, 
even as I had pity on thee ? And the 
Lord w as wroth, and delivered him 
to the tormentors. 

And lastly, you are to take care. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 51 

that you love, not in word only, but 
in deed, and in truth ; that is, that 
you do good, as well as give good 
words ; and relieve Jesus Christ in 
his poor members. 

And believe it for a certain truth, 
that a charitable and forgiving tem- 
per is not near so beneficial to any 
body as to him that hath it ; it being 
more blessed to give, than to receive j 
and to forgive, than to insist upon sa- 
tisfaction for injuries and wrongs 
done to us ; Acts xx. S5. 

This being so necessary a grace, 
you will not fail to beg of God most 
earnestly to vouchsafe it to you. 

THE PRAYER. 

This is my commandment, that ye 
love one another as I have loved you. 
Hear, O my soul, what thy Saviour 
has commanded thee — He who loved 
us, and gave himself an offering and 
a sacrifice to God for us. 

May this love, O Jesus, be the mo- 
tive and pattern of my love, and 
charity for all mankind ! — Where 



•52 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

this liath not been my practice, 1 im» 
plore thy gracious pardon ; and be- 
seech thee to tortify my soul against 
all suggestions of satan, or my cor- 
rupt nature and blind passions : that 
I may always be prepared to go to 
thine altar, with the same charitable 
dispositions with which I desire and 
hope to die. 

Thou, O Jesus, madest thine ene- 
mies thy friends, by laying down thy 
life for them. Be thou my advocate 
with God for grace to follow thy heav- 
enly charity and example, that I may 
overcome evil with good ; that I, and 
all the members of thy family, may 
love as brethren. That we mav alwavs 
meet at thv table as sincere friends, 
and part with true love and affection, 
as becomes thy disciples. Amen. 

SECT. IX. 

By this time you see the reason of 
this institution ; the necessity, as 
well as the invaluable blessing, of ob- 
serving it religiously ; and the man- 
ner of preparing yourself for it, as of- 
ten as you have an opportunity. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 5 



And remember tLat the oftener 
you look into the state of your soul, 
in order to go to this ordinance, the 
less trouble you will have to make 
your peace with God, when you come 
to die ; and the less danger you will 
be in, of falling into a state of sin and 
security, which has been the ruin of 
an infinite number of souls. 

Besides this, you will have the 
greatest comfort of life, when you 
perceive that you are still growing in 
grace, and tending to that perfection, 
which must fit you for heaven. 

On the other hand, if you turn your 
back upon this ordinance, it must be 
because you will not be at the pains 
to understand your duty, your interest 
and your danger. 

You have not considered, that there 
is no pardon, no grace, no salvation^ 
to be hoped for, but by pleading with 
God what his son hath done, and suf- 
fered, and merited for us, and in the 
manner he has ordained. 

And if you will consult your own 
conscience it will tell you, that some 



54. A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

of these are the true, though most 
ivretched causes of your contempt of 
this command of your Saviour's : 

Either you live in some known sin, 
or ungodly way of life, which you 
cannot resolve to forsake : Or, you 
are not willing to renew your vom s 
made in baptism : or, which is gene- 
rally the case — You have no real con- 
cern for your sotil ; only you delude 
yourself with some faint purposes 
and hopes, that some time or other 
you will become a new man. 

In the mean time you are guilty of 
a sin too like the denying the Lord 
that bought you. You bring an evil 
report upon an ordinance of Christ, 
as if it were not worth oberving: You 
harden wicked people in their infi- 
delity, and neglect of their salvation, 
by calling yourself a christian, and 
living like a heathen, in the contempt 
of one of the greatest means of sal- 
vation. You live in a state, in which 
all ;^our prayers, whether public op 
private, whether for yourself or for 
others, will be rejected. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 66 

In short, yon provoke God every 
day more and more to withdraw liis 
grace — to leave you to your own cor- 
rupt way of living, till you have filled 
up the measure of your sins, and pre- 
pared for yourself a sentence not to 
be heard without trembling ? I tell 
you, that none of these men that were 
bidden shall taste of my supper — 
the marriage supper of the Lamb in 
Heaven. 

How great then must the sin of 
those be, who neglect to administer, 
and of those who turn their backs up- 
on this ordinance, upon which ouf 
salvation depends. It being the 
blood of Christ which must cleanse 
us from allsin. 1 John i. 7- 

After all, this is not to encourage 
any person to go to the Lord's Sup- 
per without a wedding-garment, with- 
out a due regard to the duty. For a 
man may go so unworthily, as to re- 
ceive a judgment instead of a bles- 
sing : for example, such as live in 
any known sin unrepented of ; such 
as are not sincerely resolved to live 

F 



56 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

and be governed by the known laws 
of the gospel ; such as live at vari- 
ance with their neighbours, without 
Ibeing willing to be reconciled ; such 
jas have done wrong, and will not 
make satisfaction as they are able ; 
lastly, such as go out of mere custom 
without considering the end or bene- 
fit of the ordinance ; and return to 
tlieir usual sinful liberties, as soon as 
the service is over. 

All such ought to know, that they 
went unworthily ; and if they have 
any true concern for their souls, they 
will consider better, and lay them- 
selves under stricter obligations, be- 
fore they go again to the Lord's Sup- 
per. 

But then let them not, at the peril 
of their souls, deal deceitfully, and 
make this a pretence of neglecting 
to go to this ordinanceifor the future; 
lest they provoke God to leave them 
to themselves, which is one of the 
greatest judgments that can befal 
them. 

On the other hand, let not any well 



TO THE LORD*S SUPPER. 57 

meaning christians be discouraged 
with fears of having gone unworthily 
to the Lord's Supper; and so forbear, 
because they do not find all the bene- 
fit and change wrought in them, 
which they hoped for ; but let them 
consider, that a state of holiness and 
perfection is not to be expected at 
once, but by degrees, and as we make 
good use of the graces which the Ho- 
ly spirit from time to time vouch- 
safes to us : 

A good christian not being one 
who has no inclination to sin, but one 
who, through the grace of God, im- 
mediately checks and suffers not such 
inclination to grow into evil habits. 

God, who knows our infirmities, 
will accept our sincere endeavours, 
though attended with imperfections 
and backslidings, provided we con- 
demn ourselves for them, and strive 
to amend. 

And let us remember for our com- 
fort, that Jesus Christ himself pro- 
nounced all his disciples (the traitor 
excepted) to be clean, that is, quali- 



&S i SHORT INTRODUCTION 

lied to receive this sacrament, whicli 
he was going to administer to them, 
altliougii he knew theia to be subject 
to very great failings and infirmities; 
which soon appeared, when they all 
forsook him, contrary to their solemn 
promises ; but this they repented of, 
and were forgiven by their compas- 
sionate redeemer. 

If therefore you love God, and your 
neighbour, though not so fervently as 
you could wish, if you haye a real de- 
sire of being better than at present 
you find yourself to be ; if the fruits 
of the Holy spirit, though in a veiy 
low degree, do appear in your life ; 
lastly, if you do daily pray for God's 
graces, that you may, in his good 
time, be what he would have you to 
be, and do not live in any known sin; 
by no means forbear to go to this or- 
dinance, as often as you have an op- 
portunity ; and depend upon God's 
blessing, and an increase of his 
graces. 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER- 59 

THE PRAYER. 

Grant, O God, that I may never 
draw down thy judgments upon my- 
self, either by turning my back upon 
this ordinance, or by going to it with- 
out thought, and unworthily. May 
thy mercy pardon what is past, and 
give me grace for the time to come, 
to consecrate my life to thee, and to 
embrace every occasion of remem- 
bering my redeemer's love,and there- 
by securing thy favour, and my own 
salvation. And, if it be thy will, grant 
that I may always find such comfort 
and benefit in this ordinance, as may 
encourage me to observe it with joy 
unto my life's end. 

Give me leave to recommend ta 
thine infinite mercy the miserable 
condition of all such, as neglect so 
great means of grace and salvation. 
Awaken all christian people into a 
sense of this duty; Open their eyes, 
and correct their mistakes, that they 
may be convinced, that this is the on* 
ly means of making their peace with 
thee, and of rendering their persons 

F 2 



60 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

and tlieir prayers, acceptable to thy 
divine majesty, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 

SECT. X. 

Every well-disposed christian, af- 
ter he has thus far prepared himself 
for this sacrament, will endeavor to 
keep the thoughts of his duty, and 
the blessing he hopes for, warm 
in his heart, until the time of receiv- 
ing. 

Some of the following scriptures, 
and meditations upon them, may, 
through God's grace, answer that 
end ; nor will they take up too much 
time, bacause some or more of them, 
as occasion offers, may be devoutly 
used in the midst of business. 

And this method of devotion is here 
proposed, to lead christians to make 
proper reflections upon other parts 
of scripture whieh they read or hear. 

Eev. iii. 17. Thou sayest I am 
rich, and have need of nothing: And 
knowest not that thou art wretched, 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 61 

aad miserable, and poor, and blind, 
and naked. 

This is the sad condition, to which 
as sinners, we are subject ; and it is 
thy Hiercj, O God, that any of us are 
sensible of it. Preserve me, I beseech 
thee, from that blindness which 
would hinder me from seeing my 
own misery ; and from that pride 
which would keep me from acknow- 
ledging it before thee, who alone 
canst help me. O give me a true 
sense of the maladies 1 labour under, 
and keep me, for thy mercies sake, 
and for the sake of Jesus my redeem- 
er. 

Psal. li. 17. The sacrifice of God 
is a broken spirit; a broken and con- 
trite heart God will not despise. 

But most unfit is mine to be to 
God presented, until I have obtained 
his pardon for the many sins by which 
it has been defiled. 

Jer. iiLlS, 13. I am merciful, saith 
the Lord ; and I will not keep anger 
for ever : Only acknowledge thine 



62 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

iniquity, that tlion liast transgressed 
against the Lord thy God. 

I do acknowledge my sin unto thee 
O God ; and mine iniquities Mill I 
not hide : I do therefore implore thy 
pardon, and plead thy gracious pro- 
mise, with full purpose of heart, nev- 
er again to return to folly. 

Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceit- 
ful, and desperately wicked : who 
can know it ? 

I cannot indeed answer for my own 
heart ; but there is nothing, O Lord, 
impossible with thee : in thee I do 
put my trust ; let me never be put 
to confusion : — Keep it ever in my 
heart, what an evil thing, and bitter, 
it wdll be, to forsake the Lord, 

I John iii. 8. He that committetk 
sin (who abandons himself to live in 
known sin) is of the devil — is under 
his power and government. 

Preserve me, gracious God, from 
so fatal a blindness, to choose satan 
for my Lord and governor, instead of 
thy blessed son^ who laid down his 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 63 

life to redeem us from the dreadful 
tyraany of the devil. 

I John ii. 3.5. This is the promise 
that he hath promised us, even eter- 
nal life. 

How infinitely good is God, to give 
us so great encouragement to save 
ourselves from ruin ! Give me, 1 be- 
seech thee, a firm faith in this pro- 
mise, that no fears may terrify me, 
no pleasures may corrupt my heart. 
No difficulties may discourage me 
from serving thee. 

Matt. xvi. 34. If any man will 
come after me, let him deny himself, 
and take up his cross, and follow me. 

O my Saviour ! who pleasedst not 
thyself, but tookest upon thee the 
form of a servant ; let me not pro- 
fess to follow thee, without endea- 
vouring to follow the blessed steps of 
thy most holy life. Thy patience, 
meekness, and humility — thy great 
disregard for the world, its pleasures, 
profits and all its idols — thy sensible 
concern for the miseries of men — 
thy unweariedness in doing good — ^ 



64 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

thy constancy in prayer, and resigna- 
tion to the will of thy father. Let me 
part with any thing as dear as a right 
hand, or a right eye, rather than not 
follow thee. 

Matt. yi. 34. No man can serve 
two masters. You cannot serve God 
and Mammon. 

May I never set np anyrival, O 
God, with thee, in the possession of 
my heart! May I never attempt to 
reconcile thy service with that world 
which is enmity with thee ! Give me, 
I beseech thee, the eyes of faith, that 
I may see the world, ivhat in truth it 
is — the danger of its riches — the fol- 
ly of its pleasures — the multitude of 
its snares — the power of its tempta- 
tions — its deadly poison, and certain 
danger of drawing my heart from the 
love of thee. 

Matt. xxii. 37, 39. Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and thy neighbour as thyself. 

O that the love of God may be the 
commanding principle of my soul ; 
and that I may have this comfortable 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 6b 

proof of his love abiding in me, that 
I study to please him, and to keep his 
commandments ; that my love to my 
neighbour may be such as God has 
commanded ; that I may give and 
forgive, and love, as beco^nes a dis- 
ciple of Jesus Christ ! 

I John iii. i4. We know that we 
have passed from death unto life, be- 
cause we love the brethren. 

What it is to love my neighbour as 
myself, thou O Lord, hast taught me 
in tliy holy word ; never to wrong or 
deceive him ; never to grieve him, or 
without a cause to create him trouble; 
never to treat him with contempt and 
scorn ; never to be pleased with his 
misfortunes and faults ; but to re- 
joice in his happiness, and help him 
in his wants. Give me, O Lord, this 
proof of my having passed from death 
unto life. 

Gal. iii. 13. Christ hath redeemed 
us from the curse of the law, being 
made a curse for us. That is, he was 
treated as one under the curse of the 
law, Deut. xxi. g3- 



66 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

Blessed God, how great ^vas ciir 
misery ! liow great was thy mei-ey 
when nothing could save us from 
ruin, hut the deatli of thy son ! I see 
hy this, how hateful sin is to thee. — 
Make it so to me, I heseech thee. — 
May I never flatter myself that tliy 
mercy will spare me, if I continue in 
sin, when thou sparedst not thine own 
son, when he put himself in the place 
of sinners ! may I never provoke thy 
justice ! may I never forget thy 
mercies, and what thy son has done 
for me ! 

Tit. ii. 14. He gave himself for us, 
that he might redeem us from all 
iniquity ; and purify unto himself 
a peculiar people, zealous of good 
works. 

Blessed be God, that I am united 
to this people by baptism! Grant that 
I may never disgrace thee, or my 
christian profession, by an ungodly 
life. O thou, who hast redeemed us 
from sin and death, cause me to un- 
derstand, to value, and ever remem- 
Ijer, thy great love ; and to shew 



TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 67 

that I do so, bv a life consecrated to 
thy service. 

2 Tim. ii. 13. If we deny him, he 
will also deny us. 

How many deny thee, O Jesus, with- 
out thought, and without dread ! do 
they know what they do, who lightly 
turn their backs upon this ordinance? 
who make a mock of sin which cost 
thee thy life ? who are ashamed of 
thee, and of thy Gospel, out of regard 
to men? who by their unchristian lives 
do renounce thy service ? do they 
consider what it is to be denied by 
thee ? that it is to have no interest in 
thy death, thy merits, and media- 
tion ? gracious God, deliver me from 
this dreadful sin and judgment. 

Matt. xxvi. 3.5. Peter said, though 
1 should die with thee, yet will I not 
deny thee. 

Preserve me, gracious Lord, from 
a presumptuous opinion, and depen- 
dence on my own strength, without 
the aids of thy grace : let me see, in 
this sad instance, my weakness with- 



G 



; _ 



68 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

out thy assistance, and my ruin with- 
out thy help. 

Luke xxii. 61, 6S. And the Lord 
turned, and looked upon Peter ; and 
Peter rememhered the words of 
Christ ; and went out and wept bit- 
terly, 

O Jesus, look upon me with the 
same eye of compassion, whenever I 
shall do amiss, that I may see my 
fault, and forthwith return to my du- 
ty : let this instance of thy mercy be 
our comfort, since so great and re- 
peated a crime did not exclude this 
penitent from thy mercy ; but let not 
this make us fearless of offending 
thee, lest we never repent. 

Luke xxii. 3, 4, 5. Then entered 
Satan into Judas, and he communed 
with the chief Priests, how he might 
betray him unto them : and they co- 
venanted to give him money, ^c. 

If I should provoke thee, O God, 
by resisting thy Holy spirit, to leave 
me to my own natural corruption, and 
to the power of satan, I see in this 
wretclied man what wickedness I am 



TO THE LORD^S SUPPER. 69 

capable of. Lord God, abandon me 
not to my own choices. Shut my heart 
against that covetousness, which was 
the root of so great a sin. Keep me 
from presumptuous sins, lest they get 
the dominion over me ; and secure 
me under the conduct of thy Holy 
spirit, for Jesus Christ's sake. 

Deut. xvi. 16, 17. They shall not 
appear before the Lord empty. Every 
man shall give as he is able, accord- 
ing to the blessing of the Lord thy 
God, which he hath given thee. 

Shall I appear before thee, O God, 
worse than a Jew ? Can I give any 
thing to thy poor, but what I ha\^e re- 
ceived from thee ? How can I say 
that I love thee much, if I give spar- 
ingly to them, whom thou hast ap- 
pointed in thy place to receive our 
alms ? Give me an heart, O God, to 
give accortling to thy blessing upon 
me, and as I expect thy blessing up- 
on myself and substance. 

I Pet. iv. 10. As every man hath 
received the gift, even so minister 
the same one to another, as good 
stewards. 



70 A SHORT INTRODUCTION 

O God, who hast taught us, that 
we are all but thy stewards — keep 
me, I beseech thee, from that great 
injustice of defrauding thy poor of 
their right : Give me grace to mode- 
rate all my vain desires and expen- 
ses, that I may have to give to them 
that need ; and that the measure of 
thy blessings to me may be the mea- 
sure of my charity to others. 



THE ORDER FOR ADMINISTRATION^ 

OF THE 

LORD'S SUPPER. 



I^N'TRQDUCTJOjY. 

That you may profit by the follow- 
mg assistances, be advised to read 
the commuuion service, with the di- 
rections and meditations, some time 
before you go to the sacrament, that 
you may attend to every part of the 
public service without distraction. 

Whenever you have time for your 
private devotions, let them be so se- 
cret that nobody may be disturbed 
by you. ^ 

And if, instead of repeating the 
prayers, and other parts of the ser- 
vice, after the minister, as the man- 
ner of too many is, to the disturbance 
of such as are near them j if, instead 



INTRODUCTION. 

of doing so, you would secretly say, 
amen, at the end of every petition, 
you will find this the very best way 
to keep your mind intent upon your 
devotions. 

If any person, who is ordained to 
administer this sacrament, shall think 
:fit to cast his eye upon this book, I 
would beseech him to consider seri- 
ously,how many communicants there 
are, who have no ordinary way of com- 
ing to the knowledge of this great 
duty, or other help to their devotion^ 
besides what the church has provided 
for them in this office : that therefore, 
in compassion to such, this service 
ought to be performed with the 
greatest deliberation, as well as devo- 
tion, that the unlearned, who are ge- 
nerally the greatest number, may be 
edified, as well as instructed.. 



prr^ 



THE ORDER FOR ADMINISTRATION 



OF THF 



LORD'S SUPPER. * 



RUBRTCK, 

Jf atnong those -who come to 
be partakers of the Holy Com- 
munion, tJie minister shall Jcnoiv 
any to be an open and notorious 
evil livery or to have done any 
•wrong to his neighbours by 
ivord or deed, so that the con- 
gregation be thereby offended; 
he shall advertise him, that he 
presume not to come to the 
Lord s table, until he have 
openly declared himself to have 
truly repented and amended his 
former evil life, that the con- 
gregation may thereby be satis- 
fied ; and that he hath recom- 
pensed the parties to -whom he 
hath done -wrong ; or at least 
declare hi?nself to be in full 
purpose so to do, as soon as he 
conveniently may. 



Ohservations. 
If you are conscious 
to yourself (though your 
minister should not 
know it) that your life 
has been such as hath 
given offence or scan- 
dal to your christian 
profession, do not go to 
the sacrament, until you 
have given some plain 
proof of your repent- 
ance, and purpose of 
leading a new life. 

But then, as you hope^ 
for God^s grace and 
mercy, do not put off 
the doing of this one 
moment, lest you pro- 
voke God to leave you 
to yourself; for then 
you never will repent. 



74 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Rub RICK. 



Observations. 



The same order shall the min- 



ine,ameoj-aer,nautnemtn. The Lord'S SUppcr be- 

tster use -with those, uetivixt . *^* , 

-whomheperceiveth malice and »»S ^ Sacrameilt aiiU tO- 

hatredto reign; no^sw/irnrz^ ken of reeonciliation and 
them to be partakers q( ^^^ fnendsliii) With Go(l and 

JLord s table, until he know ■, .,, , 

them to be reconciled Jindif^^^^^ SUCll aS Will not 
Que of the parties, so at r-ari-, forgive the injuries thcj 

anccy be content ^o ./br^vT^^have received, noF m akc 

from the bonoin of his heart all .•n>^ .. • 
that the other hath ^re^j&asserf?**^;^^^^"^" ^^^ V 

against him, and to make aJjiines they have done ta 

mends for that Tvherein he him-loilidQ^ mUSt not pFC- 
3elf hath offended , and the\^^ (o gO to the Lord^S 
oilier partytuillnot be persiiadA -^, 1 i- f u 
ed to a godly unity, but remam|i^wle, lest they fCCeiVe a 
still in his for7uardness and cutSG instead of a bl^SS* 
malice; the minister in that 



case ought to admit the peni- 
tent person to the holy commu- 
nion, and not him that is obsti- 
nate;provided, that every mini- 
ster so repelling any, as is here- 



ing. 

But then such would^ 
do well to consider, that 
while they are under 



in specified, shall be obliged toltheSG bad dispositions, 

give an account of the same to thsy are at enmity with 



fhe ordinary, as soon as con- 
veniently may be,. 



God as well as with 
their neighbour ; and 
therefore are not quali- 
fied, even to ask, much 
less to hope for, any fa- 
vour from him : — 1 here 
being no mercy for him, 
who will not shew mercy 
to his neighbour: — This 
being an express con- 
dition of our peace with 
God, Matt. Ti. 15. 

And we should always 
remember, that he that 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER 



75 



Kubrick. 

The table, at the communion 
time, having a fair -white li- 
nen cloth upon iti shall stand 
in the body of the church, or 
ih the chancel ; and the mi 
vister^ standing at the north 
tide of the table, or -where 
morning and evenirig prayer 
are appointed to be said, shall 
say the Lord's prayer, and 
the collect following, the peo- 
ple kneeling ; but the Lord's 
prayer may be omitted, if 
mormng prayer hath been said 
immediately before* 



Observations. 

loveth not his brother 
abideth in deaths i John 
iii. 14. 

It is God^ who saitb 
this : and dare we de- 
lay to be at peace with 
our neighbour even one 
day, if we can help it ? 

Observations. 

It may so happen^ 
that you did not know 
that the sacrament was 
to be administered, until 
you saw the communion 
table covered : Howev- 
er, if you have been a 
constant communicant 
before, do not turn your 
back upon the holy or- 
dinance; but say in your 
heart — I will most glad- 
ly close with this bles- 
sed occasion of remem- 
bering the death of my 
redeemer. 



76 THE ADMINISTRATION 

THE COMMUNION SERVICE. 

When the minister begins lay aside all 
other books^ and attend to the ^ser- 
vice of the churchy than which there 
never was provided a better help to 
devotion. 

Our* Father who art in Heaven : 
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy will be done on earth, as 
it is in Heaven. Give us this day our 
daily bread. And forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us. And lead us not in- 
to temptation ; but deliver us from 
evil. Amen. 



The Collect. 

Almighty God, unto 
whom all hearts are o- 
pen, aU desires known, 
and from whom no se- 
crets are hid, cleanse 
the thoughts of our 
hearts by the inspira- 



Ohservation. 

Because the love of 
God will make all his 
commands easy, and to 
be obeyed with chearful- 
ness ; we therefore beg 
of him to purify our 
hearts by faith, that we 



*The Lord's prayer should always be said with the 
greatest deliberation and devotion : and especially at this 
time, when we beg* of God the bread which must nourish 
us unto life eternal, and all the graces necessary to obtain 
that invaluable ble.'ising'. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



The Collect 

tion of thy holy spirit, 
that we may perfectly 
love thee, and worthily 
magnify thy holy name, 
through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. A.men. 

BUBRICK. 

Then * shall the ministery 
turning to the people, rehearse 
distinctly the ten commaiid 
nients ; and the people, still 
kneeling, shall, after every 
commandment, ask Godtnercy 
for their transgressions for 
the time past, and grace to 
keep the la-uf for the time to 
eomtf as followeth : 



Observation. 
may love and fear him, 
and keep his command- 
ments, upon which all 
our happiness depends. 



Ohservation. 

We see with what 
great judgment these 
commandments were ap- 
pointed to be read in this 
service, since by the law 
is the knowledge of sin: 
and when we are con- 
vinced in our own con- 
science, that we have 
not kept a law which is 
holy, just, and good, we 
shall then see the need, 
and the blessing of a 
Redeemer; and how ear- 
nestly we ought to beg 
God, fe^ his sake, to 
have mercy upon us ; 
and to incline our hearts 
to keep these laws. 



* When it is considered how many people there are, 
who have no other way of coming- to the knowledge of 
their duty ; it will appear with what great reason the mi- 
nister is required to read these commands of God distinct- 
ly ; and how religiously this Kubrick ought to be observ- 
ed. 



7S THE ADMINISTRATION 

OBSERVATIONS AND DIRECTIONS. 

That you may obey the following 
commands of God with cheerfuhiess, 
you ought to be firmly persuaded, 
that God, who standeth in no need of 
our obedience arid service, hath giv- 
en us these laws merely for our own 
good, to restrain the disorders we are 
subject to, and to hinder us from 
ruining ourselves. 

Consider these commands in this 
view, and as they are the effect of the 
great love of God for his poor crea- 
tures ; or else you will look upon 
them as a burden, and obey them with 
an unwilling mind. 

Prepare therefore to hear them with 
an attention and reverence suitable 
to him whose commands they are ; 
and then you will be more sensible 
what a blessing it is, that Jesus Christ 
hath by his death delivered us from 
the curse and punishment due to 
those that break them ; having pre- 
vailed with God to accept of our re- 
pentance, and to enable us by his 
grace to observe them better for the 
time to come. 



OF THE LORD'S SLTPER. 



79 



Communion. 

Minister. 
God spake these words 
and saidy I am the Lord 
thy God : thou shalt 
have no other Gods but 
me.* 

People. 
Lord, have mercy up 
on us, and incline our 
hearts to keep tliis law 

Minister. 
Thou shalt not niake 
to thyself any graven 
image, nor the likeness 
of any think that is in 
Heaven above, or in the 
earth beneath, or in the 
water under the earth 
Thou shalt not bo\w 
down to them, nor wor- 
ship them : for I the 



Observations. 



When you consider 
how apt every man is 
to have his idol — some- 
thing which he admires, 
or loves, or fears, or 
trusts in, or adore8,more 
than the God who made 
and redeemed him, you 
will see the reason and 
the necessity of this 
command; and will most 
heartily beg of God to 
keep you from such ido- 
latry, and that you may 
love him with all your 
heart, and above all 
things. 

The proneness of all 
nations to the vile ido- 
latry of making and 
worshipping ima^jt s and 
the creatures they re- 
present, shews the abso- 



•The law of nature and right reason, being the law of 
man in the state of innocence, would still have been a suf- 
ficient guide, had it not been much obscured, and almost 
blotted out, and rendered ineffectual, by the transgression 
of our first parents, and the wickedness of their posterity. 
It was then that God republished these laws by Moses in 
writing, to awaken men, and to be a standing witness a- 
gainst all such as would not consult their own consciences, 
and the law written in their hearts. 



u 



80 



THE ADMINISTRTION 



Communion. 

Lord thy God am a jea 
lous God, and visit th^ 
sins of the fathers upon 
the children, unto the 
third and fourth gene- 
ration of them that hate 
me ; and shew mercy 
unto thousands in them 
that love me, and keep 
my commandments. 

People. 
Lord, have mercy up- 
on us, and incline oui 
hearts to keep this law. 



Minister. 

Thou shalt not take 
the name of the Lord 
thy God in vain: for the 
Lord ^vill not hold him 
guiltless, that taketb his 
name in vain. 



People. 
Lord, have mercy up 
on us, and incline our 
hearts to keep this law 



' Ohservations. 

lute necessity of the au- 
thority of God, to pre- 
vent so great a sin, and 
contempt of the divine 
majesty ; and the judg- 
ments that would fol- 
low. 

At the same time, 
God has given us the 
greatest encouragement 
to obey this, and all his 
commands; assuring us, 
that both we and our 
children's childrens hall 
reap the blessing of our 
obedience. 



Happy is it for the 
world, that men are re- 
strained (as far as a 
command, and the fear 
of God, and his judg- 
ments, will restrain 
them} from profaning 
his name to idle and 
wicked purposes. Were 
it not for this, all rever- 
ence for oaths, and fop 
'God himself, would be 
lost among men. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



81 



Commuiiion. 

Minister. 

Remember that thou 
keep holy the Sabbath- 
day. Six days shall 
thou labour, and do all 
that thou hast to do ; 
but the seventh day is 
the Sabbath of Che Lord 



Observations. 

When we consider 
how backward we are 
10 learn our duty, Imw 
apt to forget it, and un- 
willing to put it in prac- 
tice, we cannot but ac- 
knowledge the necessity 
and kindness of this 
command : which o* 



my God ; in it thoul''>'S<^s ''^^ '"^»' )^''« 
Shalt do no manner of. °^«^ »f"l f«»'"« ^«*^' ^« 
work, thou and thy 8on,i*^«fP ""<= "^^ '" ^e*"" 
and thv daughter, thyl''^'/ *» '•'« ^«''<^ 5 '" 
man-servant, and thvh'^er to preserve the 
maid-servant, thy cat'- ^tJowIedge of the true 
tie, and the stranger ^''^i' »"<• *>'^ glorious 

. . ... .. *-^ • tout ctrtfi/t rk<3 otirl t\i rkim 



that is within thy gates. 
For in six days the 
Lord made Heaven and 
Earth, the Sea, and all 
that in them is ; and 
rested the seventh day : 
Wherefore the Lord 
blessed the seventh day, 
and hallowed it. 

People. 
Lord, have mercy up- 
on us, and incline our 
hearts to keep this lawv 



perfections, and of our 
creation and redemption 
that we may fear, and 
love, and adore him as 
we ought to do. The 
neglect of this duty, 
commanded from the 
beginning, ha\ ing, in all 
probability, been the oc- 
casion of that deplora- 
ble state of ignorance 
and idolatry in the 
heathen world ; as it 
has been of very remark- 
able judgements upon 
many of those among 
christians, that have 
profaned this day. 



,^^ 



82 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion 



Minister. 
Honaur thy faiher and 
thy mother, that thy 
days may he long in the 



Observations. 

And indeed to profane 
the Lord's day, is, in a 
manner, to deny the 
God that made us, and 
(he world. 



The infinite mischiefs 
occasioned hy undutifui 
children, by rebellious 
subjects, by unfaithful 
servants, and by the lit- 
tie regard had to those 
that watch for our souls, 



land which the Lord 
thy God giveth thee. 

People. 

Lord, have mercy up- shew the great goodness 
on us, and incline our of God ; who, in order 
hearts to keep this law. to prevent those evils, 

*iath given this com- 
mand, with a promise 
of an especial blessing 
to such as obey it. 



Minister. 
Thou shaltdo no mur- 
der. 

People. 
Lord, have mercy up- 
on us, and incline our 
hearts to keep this law. 



Men must be aban- 
doned to all humanity, 
who do not acknowledge 
the great mercy of God, 
in forbidding us, upon 
pain of his displeasure, 
to shorten our own, or 
other mens lives, by vio- 
lence, intemperance, or 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
Communion. 



8; 



Minuter. 
Thou shall not com 
mit adultery. 

People. 
Lord, have mercy up- 
on us, and incline oui 
hearts to keep this law. 



Observations. 

by such evil usage, as 
may make their lives, 
miserable, and a burden 
to them. 



If the sins of whore- 
dom, impurity, and un- 
eleanness, and that lux- 
ury, drunkenness, and 
sloth, which lead to them 
had not been foibidden 
by God himself, the 
world would have set 
light by them ; and, as 
bad as it was, would 
have been much more 
wicked. 



Minister. 

Thou shall not steal. 

People. 

Lord, have mercy up 
onus, and incline our 
hearts to keep this law. 



Every one, whose 
rights and properties 
have been invaded by 
violence, or fraud, or 
injustice, or thievery, 
do easily see the reason, 
and goodness, and ne- 
cessity, of this law of 
God i and therefore 
ought to pray most ear- 
nestly that it may be re- 
ligiously observed by 
themselves and others. 
H2 



s^ 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 
Minister. 

Thou shalt not bear 
false witness against thj 
neighbour. 

People. 
Lord) have mercy up- 
on uSy and incline our 
hearts to keep this law. 



Observations. 



Evil -disposed people 
being capable of doing 
the greatest mischief to 
the estates, reputations, 
and lives ot their neigh- 
bours, by false oaths, 
and lying stories, God 
hath most mercifully 
consulted the good of 
mankind by a law for- 
bidding them, at tlieir 
peril, to ruin themselves 
and others by such wick- 
ed w^ays. 



Minister. 
Thou shalt not covet 
tiiy iieighbo^r^d house ; 
thou shalt not eo vet thy 
neighbour's wife ; nor 
hisservautjnorhia maid 
nor his ox, nor his ass, 
nor any thing that is his. 

people. 
Lord, ^ave mercy up- 
as, and ^rite all these 
thy laws in our hearts 
we beseech thee. 



The wisdom of God 
and his goodness to us, 
appears in this com- 
mand : — Laying a re- 
straint upon the very 
evil desires of our hearts 
because this is the source 
and spring of all man- 
ner of wickednes. 

By this law he shews 
us, that all our thoughts 
are known to, and will 
be judged by him at the 
great day. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



SB 



Then the Minister may 
say, 
Hear also what our 
Lord Jesus Christ saith. 
Thou shalt love the 
Lord thy God with all 
thy heart, and with all 
thy soul, and with all 
thy mind : This is the 
first and great com- 
mandment. And the se- 
cond is like unto it ; 
Thou shalt love thy 
neighbour as thyself. — 
On these two command 
ments hang all the law 
aiid the prophets. 



Whoever considers the sad effects of men^g 
disobedience to these laws, in the lives of idola- 
ters, common swearers, profaners of the Lord's 
day, undutiful children, rebellious subjects, mur- 
derers of men's lives and reputations, whore- 
mongers,thieves, perjured witnesses, and covet- 
ous persons, and the judgments that attend 
them, will have reason to bless God, who has 
given us rules to live by ; and will most ear- 
nestly beg him to write and keep them in his 
own, and all men's hearts. 

LET US PRAY. 

O Almighty Lord, and everlasting 
God, yoiichs^e, we beseech thee, to 



sa 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



direct, sanctify, and govern, both our 
hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy 
laws, and in the works of thy com- 
mandments, that througli thy most 
mighty protection, both here and 
ever, we may be preserved in body 
and soul, through our Lord and Sa* 
yiour Jesus Christ. Amen. 



Communion. 

IlUBBICK. 



Then shall be said the collect 
of the day : and iminediately 
^fter the collect^ the ministei 
shall read the Epistle y saying, 
the Epistle [or, the portion of 
scripture appointed for the 
Epistle] is -written in the — 

chapter of ^ beginning at 

the — verse. And the Epistle 
ended, he shall say, here end- 
eth the Epistle. Then shall be 
read the Gospel fthe people 
all standing up J saying, the 
Soly Gospel is -written in the - 

chapter of 5 beginning at 

the — verse. 
Here the people shall say, 
Glo7y be to thee O Lord, 
Then shall be read the Apos 
ties* or Micene Creed : unless 
one ofthetn hath been read im- 
mediately before, in the morn- 
ing service- 



Observations. 



We are all required 
to stand up at the read- 
ing of the Gospel, to 
shew, that we have a 
very particular respect 
for, and with reverence 
attend to, every thing 
that was said or done 
by, or recorded of, our 
most blessed Lord and 
master* 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 



67 



Communion. 

BufiRICK. 



Then the minister shall de- 



the lueek following- to be ob 
served ; and (^if occasion be J 
shall notice be given of the 
communion^ and of the bans of 
matrimony f and other matters 
tc be published. 



Observations. 



The church having ta- 



tlare unto the people -what holy y.^^ ^.^j.g ^^^^^ herclerffV 
days, or fasting days, are - ,^^,1 j^ their duty, in 

giving notice 4)f fuch 
holidays, &c. as are to 



ItUBRICK. 



Then shall folh-w the Ser 
mon : after luhich^ the mini 
ster, -tahen there is a comm^i- 
nion, shall return to the 
Lord'^s table, and begin the 
Offertory f sayiiig one or more 
of these sentences folio-wing, 
as he thinketh most c^nveni 
ent. 



be observed; every good 
christian will endeavour 
to observe them, not as 
is the manner of tho't- 
less people, in idleness 
and intemperance ; but 
in going to church and 
praising God for his 
mercies vouchsafed us 
in Jesus Christ, and for 
his holy apostles, by 
whose labours we were 
brought from the power 
of Satan unto God. 



If you hear the ser- 
mon with a religious at- 
tention, you will be 
much better disposed to 
receive the sacrament 
worthily. 

Now say secretly : I 
will give as I am able^ 



'« 'W»l 



r-f- 



ss 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 



Let your light so shine 
before men^ that they 
may see your good 
works, and glorify youi 
Father which is in hea- 
ven—St. Matt. V. 16. 



Lay not up for your- 
selves treasures upon 
earth, where the rust 
and moth doth corrupt, 
and where thieves break 
through and steal : but 
lay up for yourselves 
treasures in heaven, 
where neither rust nor 
moth doth corrupt, and 
where thieves do not 
break through and steajj 
~St. Matt. vi. 19, 20. I 



Ohservations. 

according to the bles* 
sing of the Lord my 
God, which he has giv- 
en. And when you give 
your alms, say ; Lord^ 
pardon all my vain ex- 
pences ; and accept of 
this testimony of my 
gratitude, for what I 
have received from thee* 



O Heavenly Father^ 
give us all grace, that 
we may honour thee, 
both in our lives and by 
our alms, and that thou 
mayst be glorified by 
those that receive them. 

Magnify the power of 
thy grace, God, upon 
us, in freeing our souls 
from the love of riches. 
That we may have the 
greatest part of our 
treasure in heaven; and 
that our hearts may be 
there also. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



89 



Communion. 

Whatsoever ye would 
that men should do unto 
you, even so do unto 
them ; for this is tiie 
law and the prophets — 
St. Matt. vii. 12. 

Not every one that saith 
unto me, Lord, Lord, 



Observations. 
May this rule of eter- 
nal justice be ever pre- 
sent with us, that neither 
self-love, nor interest, 
may lead us to trans- 
gress it. 

Grant, God, that 
we may never build our 



shall enter into the king- hopes of salvation upon 
dom of heaven, but he an outward profession 



that doth the will of my 
father which is in hea- 
ven. St. Matt. vii. 21. 

Zaccheus stood forth, 
and said unto the Lord,' 



only, without a life of 
holiness and good works 



If thou, God, givest 
me ability, give me an 



behold,Lord, the half ofheart, to be both just and 
my goods I give to the charitable, that thou 
poor ; and if I have.mayest say unto me* as 
done any wrong to any thou didst unto this pub- 
man, I restore four-fold, lican, salvation is come 



St. Luke xix. 8. 

Who goeth a warfare 
at any time of his own 



to thy house. 

Shall the soldier, the 
husbandman, and the 



cost ? Who planteth a shepherd, all have their 
vineyard, and eateth not wages, and thy minis- 
of the fruit thereof ? Orters only, O Jesus, be 
who feedeth a flock andjgrudged theirs ? God 



eateth not of the milk of 
the flock ? I Cor. ix. 7 



forbid ! Vouchsafe unto 
me, and to all christians, 
a better mind, I beseech 
thee. 



90 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 

If we have sown unto 
you spiritual things, is 
it a great matter, if we 
should reap your world- 
ly things? I Cor. ix.ll. 



Do ye not know that 
they who minister about 
holy things, live of the 
sacrifice? and they who 
wait at the altar, ^re 
partakers with the al 
tar? even so hath the 
Lord also ordained, that 
they who preach the 
gospel, should live of 
the gospel — i Cor. ix. 

He thatsoweth little, 
shall reap little; and he 
thatsoweth plenteously, 
shall reap plenteously. 
Let every man do ac- 
cording as he is dispos- 
ed in his heart ; not 
grudgingly, or of ne- 
cessity ; for God loveth 



Observations. 
May the good spirit 
of God bless the hea- 
venly seed sown by 
his ministers, that both 
they and we may reap 
the fruit of their labor. 

Since thou, O Jesus, 
hast ordained this, far 
be it from me to envy, 
or to deprive thy ser- 
vants of the right 
which thou hast given 
them. 



? cheerful giver, 
Cor. ix. 6, 7. 



II 



Let him that is taught 
in the word, minister 



It will be our own 
fault, if we reap iiot a 
plentiful crop. 

" Let us proportion 
our alms to our ability, 
lest we provoke God to 
proportion his blessings 
to our alms.'' Bishop 
Beveridge. 



There is nothing, O 
God, which we can 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



91 



Communion. 

unto him that teacheth, 
in all good things. Be 
not deceivcil ; God is 
not mocked ; for what- 
soever a man noweth, 
that shall he reap.-Gal. 
vi. 6, 7. 



Observations. 

give to thy ministers, 
equal to the blessings 
which we receive from 
(hem, who minister un- 
to us the means of grace 
and salvation. 



While we have time, Blessed he God, that 
let us do good unto allil have yet time ! Lord 
men; and especially un-give me an heart to do 
to them that are of thelgood, before the night 

household of faith. ^ [cometh, when no man 

Gal. vi. 10. 'can work. 



Godliness is great 



Give me, God, a 



riches, if a man becon-jpious and a contented 
tent with that he hath ; mind ; and, for the rest, 
for we brought nothing'thy will be done, 
into the world, neither 
may we carry any thing 
out.— I Tim. vi. 6, 7. 

Charge them who are Bless God, ye that 
rich in this world, thathave riches, if he has 
they be ready to givejgiven you grace and 
and glad to distribute,!power to give them with 
laying up in store foria liberal hand,&cheer- 
themselves a good foun- ful hearr, without which 
dation against the time they will be the occasi- 
to come, that they mayion of certain ruin, 
attain eternal life.— i 
Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19. 



9^ 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion 



Observations. 



God is not unrighte- My God, we have no- 
ous, that he will forget thing but what is thine; 
your works, and labour'and yet thou makest 
th^at proceedeth of love, thyself a debtor to us, 
which love ye have for what we give to thy 
shewed for his name's poor, and to thy minis- 
sake, who have minis-lters. How great is his 
t^red unto the saints, goodness ! 
and yet do minister, — 
Heb. vi. 10. 



To do good, and to 
distribute, forget not ; 



May our prayers, and 
our alms, go up before 



for with such sacrifieesthee, .0 God ! and gra 
God is well pleased. — ciously accept them for 



Heb. xiii. 16. 

Whoso hath this 
world's good, and seeth 
his brother have need, 
and shutteth up his 
compassion from him, 
bow dwclleththe love of 
God in him ? — i John 
iii. 17. 

Give alms of thy 
goods, and never turn 
thy face from any poor 
man ; and then the face 
of the Lord shall not be 
turned away from thee. 
— Tob. iv. 7. 



Jesus Christ's sake. 

Thou, O God, canst 
support all thy poor, 
without our assistance ; 
but it is by them that 
thou triest our faith, & 
our love for thee. 



Give me, Lord, a 
true compassion for the 
miseries of others, that 
thou mayest have com- 
passion on me, at the 
great day. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



93 



Communion. 

Be merciful after thy 
power. If thou hast 
uiueh, give plenteousl} 
if thou iiast little^ do 
thy diligence gladly to 
give of that little ; for 
Sdgatherest thou thyself 
a good reward in the 



day of necessity •- 
iv. 8, 9. 



Tob, 



He that hath pity up- 
on the poor, lendeth un- 
to the Lord : and look, 
what he layeth out, it 
shall be paidiiim again^ 
— Prov. xix, 17. 

Blessed be the man 
that provideth for the 
sick and needy : the 
Lord shall deliver him 
in the timeof trouble.- 
Psalm xli. 1. 



Observations. 

I thank thee, O God, 
that thoujudgcst not by 
the greatness of the gift 
but by the heart, and 
the ability of the giver; 
and wilt reward accord- 
indv. 



To thy account, O 
God, I place my charity 
to the poor thou sendest 
unto me ; and I know 
that 1 shall be no loser. 



Keep me, God, 
from all idle and vain 
expences, that I may 
always have to give to 
him that needeth. At 
the hour of death, and 
in the day of judg- 
ment, good Lord deli- 
ver me. 

EuBRICK. You will now have 

comfort of seeing your 

Whilst the sentences are in alms presented UntO 
reading-, the deacons, church jr^. . . . ^;,-,:^,^pp :^ 
-wardeyis, or other Jit persons\^^\^ ^i *"^ mmiSier, IH 
appointed for that purposeJoVQQV to bring doWU his 



94 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Commuuion. 



BUBRICK, 

^hall receive the alms for the 
poor^ and other demotions of the 
people, in a decent bason^ to 
he provided by the pariah fo 



Ohscrvations. 



1 



blessing upon yourself, 
and upon the rest of 
your substanr.e and la- 



that purpose ; end reverently boUl'S, according as J OU 

' ' " iiave been a niggardly 
or cheeriul giver. 



fcrtwf it to the priest^ ivho shall 
humbly present and place it 
upon the holy table. 

And* the priest shall then 
place upon the table so much 
bread and ivine as he shall 
think sujicient ,• after ruhich 
done, he shall say, 

Let us pvay for the wl\ole 
state of Christ's churcii ml 
iitant. 



The priest now, and 
not till this time, plac- 
eth the bread and wine 
upon the Lord^s table, 
in the sight of the com- 
municants, as a public 
acknowledgement, that 
our lives, and whatever 
is necessary, for their 
preservation, are owing 
to the gift of God, 

We are now going to 
exercise another and 
most extensive branch 
of christian charity to- 
wards the whole church 
of Christ ; which you 
should seriously attend 
to, that you may add 
(secretly) amen to eve- 
ry petition. 



* If this Rubrick is not stricMy observed, as in many 
places it is not, the Intent of the church is defeated, and a 
very ittstructiye circumstance is omitted, 



OF THE LORD'S SUPrEB. 95 

Almisrlity and everlivinjyGod, who 
bj thy liolj apostle, lias taught us to 
make prayers and supplications, and 
to give thanks for all men: We hum- 
bly beseech tliee most merciful [^to 
accept our alms and oblations, andj 
to receive these our prayers, which 
we offer unto ihy divine majesty ; 
beseeching thee to inspire continual- 
ly the universal church with the spi- 
rit of truth, unity, and concord : and 
grant that all they who do confess thy 
holy name may agree in the troth of 
thy holy word, and live in unity and 
godly love. We beseech thee also, so 
to direct and dispose tlje hearts of all 
christian rulers, tjiat they may truly 
and impartially administer justice, to 
the punishment of wickedness and 
vice, and to the maintenance of thy 
true religion and virtue. Give grace, O 
heavenly father, to all bishops pother 
ministers; that they may both by their 
life and doctrine, set forth thy true 



* If there be no alms or oblations, then shall the words 
(to accept our alms said oblations, and) be left unsaid. 

1% 



96 IHE ADMINISTRATION 

and lively word, and rightly and duly 
administer tliy holy sacraments. — 
And to all thy people give thy heav- 
enly grace ; and especially to this 
congregation here present; that with 
meek heart, and due reverence they 
may hear, and receive thy holy word: 
truly serving thee in holiness and 
righteousness all the days of their 
life. And we most hvimhly heseech 
thee, of thy goodness, O Lord, to com- 
fort and succour all those who, in this 
transitory life, are in trouhle, sorrow, 
need, sickness, or any other adversi- 
ty. And we also hless thy holy name 
for all thy servants departed this life 
in thy faith and fear ; beseeching 
thee to give us grace so to follow their 
good examples, that with them we 
may be partakers of thy heayenly 
kingdom : Grant this, O father, for 
Jesus Christ's sake, our only media- 
tor and advocate. Amen. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 97 

Communion. Observations. 



LlUBRICK. 



IVhe^i the minister giveth 
i:>a'niing fjr the celebratimi of 
the holy coiimumion (^xohich he 
shall alivays do upo7i the Sun 
day J or some holiday immedi 
ately preceding J after the ser- 
mon or homily efided, he shall 
read this sxhortaiion foLloio- 
ing. 



If you seriously at- 
tend to the fallowing 
exhortations or warn- 
ings, you will learn 
what you ought to do, 
in order to be a worthy 
communicant. 

And you would do 
well to read them over 
again, when you return 
home, that you may fix 
them in your memory, 
and that they may be a 
standing rule to go by 
through your whole 
life. 



Dearly *beloved, on 
day next, I pur- 
pose, through God's as- 
sistance, to administer 
to all such as shall be 



religiously and devout- jed to ask or receive 



Believe it for a cer- 
tain truth, that such as 
aje not religiously dis- 
posed to go to this or- 
dinance, are unqualifi- 



*\Vhen it is considered how many poor christians there 
are, who have little or no other means of coming* to the 
knowledge of this ordinance, and the manner of prepar- 
ing themselves for it, bat by what they learn from hear- 
ing these exhortations ; every pastor will think himself 
obliged in conscience, and as he values the edification of 
his flock, to read these exhortations with the greatest de- 
liberation, and with an affection that shall even force the 
attention of his headers. 



98 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 

]y disposed, the most 
coRilortablc sacraiiicju 
of tlio body and blood 
of Christ, to be by them 
received in remem- 
brance of his meritori- 
ous cross and passion ; 
whereby alone we ob 
tain remission of our 
sins, and are made i)ar- 
takers of the kingdom 
of heaven. Wherefore 

it is our duty to render 

» 

most humble and hearty 
thanks to almightyGod, 
uur heavenly father, for 
that he hath given his 
son, our Saviour Jesus 
Christ, not only to die 
for us, but also to be 
our spiritual food and 



sustenance in that holy 
sacrament* Which be- 
ing so divine and com- 
fortable a thing to them 
who receive it worthily, 
and so dangerous to 



Observations. 

any blciising or favour 
from God. 

That therefore you 
may lay hold on e\ery 
occasion offered you — 
consider seriously what 
you are called to. 

First, to obey an ex- 
press command of Jesus 
Christ, by wliom alone 
you(?an hope for salva- 
tion. 

2dly, to testify to the 
world, that you belong 
to him; and to join with 
his family, in order to 
recount and acknow- 
ledge the most inesti- 



mable blessing, which 
he hath purchased for 
his church. 

And, 3dly, to devote 
yourself to him, and to 



them that w ill presumeihis service, who is con- 
to receive it unworth- tinually interceding for 
ily ; my duty is to ex- all such as go unto God 
hort you, in the mean by him. 
season, to consider the 
dignity of that holy And very many will 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



99 



Communion. 

mystery, and the great 
peril of the unworthy 
receiving thereof ; and 
so to search and ex- 
aofiine your own con- 
sciences (and that not 



Observations. 

be the benefits of em- 
bracing every occasion 
that is offered you. 



You will not easily 
fall into a state of sin 



lightly, and after the 
manner of dissemblers 
with God ; but so,) that 
ye may come holy and 
clean to such a heaven 
ly feast in the marriage 
garment required by 
God in holy scripture, 
and be received as wor- 
thy partakers of that 
holy table. 

The way and means 
thereto is: First, to ex- 
amine your lives and 
conversations by the 
rule of God's command- 
ments ; and whereinso- 
ever yo shall perceive 
yourselves to have of* 
tended, either by will, 
word, or deed, there to 
bewail your own sinful 



and security, being so 
often put in mind of the 
danger of going care- 
lessly and unprepared. 



You bear in what a 
good preparation con- 
sists.In confessing your 
sins to Almighty God^ 
with full purpose to a- 
mendment of life ; in 
exercising the duties of 
I'harity^ in giving and 
forgiving, &c. 

All which being done 
in obedience to the 
command of Christ, 
must needs be accepta- 
ble to the divine majes- 
ty, and in time, gain 
you all thejse graces, 
which you can desire. 



ness, and to confess 

yourselves to Almighty or stand in need of^ 

God, with full purpose 

of amendment of life. — And, for your com- 

And if ye shall perceiveifort, rvmember, that if 



100 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



CommunioBi. 

your offences to be such 
as are not only against 
God, but also against 
your neighbours, then 
ye shall reconcile your- 
selves unto them, being 
ready to make restitu- 
tion and satisfaction, 
according to the utter- 
most of your powers, 
for all injuries and 
wrongs done by you to 
any other j and being 
likewise ready to for- 
give others that have 
offended you, as you 
would have forgiveness 
of your offences atGod^s 
hand; for otherwise the 
receiving of the holy 
communion doth noth- 
ing else but increase 
your damnation.There- 
fore, if any of you be a 
blasphemer of God, an 
binderer or slanderer 
of his word, an adul- 
terer, or be in malice 
or envy, or in any oth- 



Observations. 

you are prepared, as 
you ought to be, for 
this sacrament, you are 
prepared for death, and 
for a blessed eternity. 

Consider how many 
there are, who, to their 
sorrow, are deprived of 
this means of grace and 
salvation : And how 
many, through a most 
stupid ignorance and 
negligence, deprive 
themselves of it : And 
you cannot but give 
God thanks, both for 
the opportunities which 
he affords you, and for 
the graces he gives 
you^ by your resolving 
to close with them. 



er grievous crime ; re- 
pent you of your sins, 
or else come not to that 
holy table. 



But still take care, 
that you go not with 
an evil conscience, as 
Judas did ; with any 
bad design of malice in 
jour heart ; or while 
you live and resolve to 
die in any known sin 
unrepented of. Or, 
Lastly, without fully 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



101 



Communion. 



Observations. 



And because it is re- purposing, tliroiigh the 
quisite, that no man grace of God, to lead a 
should come to the hol^jlife becoming a chris* 
communion but with a tian. 
full trust in God's mer- 



cy, and with a quiet 
conscience ; therefore, 



Consider therefore the 



if there be any of youjgreat hazard you run 
who by this means can-jof going to the sacra- 
not quiet his own con-'ment, while you live in 
science herein, but re- any I^nown sin : You 
quireth further comfortjwill provoke God to 
or counsel ; let himleave you to yourself, 
come unto me, or tojand to that evil spirit, 
some other minister of iwho is continually seek- 
God's word, and open ing whom he may be 
his grief, that, by theipermitted to devour, 
ministry of God's holy 



word, he may receive 
the benefit of absolu- 
tion, together with 
ghostly counsel and ad- 
vice, to the quieting of 
his conscience, and a 
voiding of all scruple 
and doubtfulness. 



Do not despise so kind 
an offer as the minister 
of God now makes you, 
if you have any doubt 
upon your spirits, the 
advantage being great- 
er than you can at pre- 
sent imagine. 

You will give him an 
opportunity of convinc- 
ing you of sins, which 
perhaps, you were not 
before aware of, and 
which may rise in judg- 
ment against you ; or 



1052 



THE ADMIiMSTRATION 



Communion 



BUBRICK. 



Or^ in case he shall see the 
people neg-ligent to come to tlus 
ftoly communion f instead of the 
foi^mer, he shall use this exhor- 
tation .• ' 



Observations. 

clearing up some doubts 
which might proceed 
from a disordered mind 
or state of health, rath- 
er than from an evil 
conscience. 

And do not entertain 
a thought so injurious 
to the merciful promise 
of your Saviour to the 
pastors of his church, 
St. John, XX. 25, or im- 
agine, that the absolu- 
tion given by his min- 
ister, after he hath in- 
quired into the motives 
and manner of your re- 
pentance, according to 
the rules of the gospel, 
do not imagine, that 
this will be of no avail 
to the health of your 
soul, and to the com- 
fort of your mind. 



No minister of God 
must say, that he cannot 
get such a convenient 
number as the Kubrick 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 



lo; 



Communion, 



Observations. 

requires to communicate 
with him, as often as he 
himself is disposed, un- 
til he can truly say, that 
he has applied to his 
people more than once, 
in the words of this ex^ 
hortation, following : — 
And until he has begged 
of God to touch their 
hearts with a sense of 
their duty and danger, 
as he promises, and will 
not fail to do, consider- 
ing how very much de- 
pends upon so sacred 
and saving an ordi- 
nance. 



Dearly beloved bre- 
thren, on — I intend by 
God's grace, to cele- 
brate the Lord^s Sup- 
per : unto which, in 
God's behalf, I bid you 
all that are here present, 
and beseech you for the 
Lord Jesus Christ's 
sake, that ye will not 
I'efuse to come thereto, 

K 



Pious reflections. 

When the tender love 
of God will not prevail 
with christians to consi- 
der their ways, they will 
learn from this exhorta- 
tion, what ihey must ex- 
pect from the despised 
offers of mercy. 



±01 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. Fious reflections. 



being so lovingly called 
and bidden hy God him- 
self. Ye know how 
grievous and unkind a 
thing it is, when a man 
hath prepared a rich 
feast, decked his table 
with all kind of provi- 
sion, so that tJ^ere lack- 
eih nothing but the 
guests to sit down, and 
yet they who are called 
(wilhout any cause) 
most unthankfuUy re- 
fuse to come : wiiich of 
you in surh a case would 
not be moved ? who 
would not think a great 
injury and wrong done 
unto him ? wherefore, 
most dearly beloved in 
Christ, take ye good 
heed, lest ve witlidraw 
ingyo!irse!vcsfrom this 
Holy Supper, prov(;ke 
God's indignation a- 
gainstyou. It is an ea- 
sy matter for a man to 
say, I will not commu- 
nicate, because I am o- 
therwise hiuflered with 
worldly business. But 
such excuses are not so 



Say therefore to your- 
selt, why am I so ear- 
nestly, so lovingly in- 
vited? why is my pastor, 
wiiy is the cjjurch, so 
mUrh concerned for my 
going to the Lord^s 
Supper ? is it not be- 
cause she knows, that 
this is the most accept- 
able way of servingGod, 
of securing his favour 
and my own salvation ? 

Is it not because she 
would have me to look 
into the state of my soul, 
as I must do before I go 
to this sacrament, that I 
may not live in the way 
to ?uin, till I am sur- 
prised by death, and ut- 
terly unprepared for the 
account I must give? 

Shall my Saviour's & 
his minister's love and 
care be lost upon me?— 
Is this ti.e way to shew 
my thankfulness for the 
mercies I hope for on 
account of his death ? 

Is he the better for 
my services? or do I not 
indeed^ serve myself 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 105 



Communion. 

easily accepted and al- 
lowed before God. If a- 
ny man say I am a grie- 
vous sinner, and there- 
fore am afraid to come, 
wherefore then do ye 
not repent and amend ? 
when God calleth you, 
are ye not ashamed to 
B^y? you will not come? 
when ye should return 
to God will ye excuse 
yourselves, and say ye 
are not ready ? Consi- 
der earnestly with your- 
selves, how little such 
feigned excuses will a- 
vail before God. Thev 
who refused the feast 
in the gospel, because 
they had bought a farm, 
or would try their yokes 
of oxen, or because they 
were married, were not 
so excused, but counted 
unworthy of the Hea- 
venly feast, wherefore, 
according to mine ofRce, 
Ibid you in the name of 
God ; I call you in 
Christ^s behalf; I ex- 
hort you, as you love 
your own salvation, that 



rioiis reflections. 

most, when I obey his 
commands, and accept 
of his invitation ? 

Tiiey that be whole, 
indeed, need not a phy- 
sician : but dare I say, 
this is my case ? when I 
so sensibly feel the cor- 
ruption of my nature, 
and how much I stand 
in need of help. 

Must I be invited, in- 
treated, compelled, to 
give God thanks for the 
greatest blessing he ever 
bestowed on men ? and 
to lay hold on the only 
means ot making my 
peace with him ? 

Doth it repent me, 
that I was dedicated to 
God in baptism ? 

How shall I tremble, 
if I should be required 
to renounce my saviour, 
and all my hopes in his 
death ? 

What c?n be n>ore 
like it, than frequently 
turning my back upon 
this ordinance, when I 
am invited? 

How many tears did 



106 



THE ADMIiNISTRATION 



Communion. 

je will be partakers ofj 
this holy communion.] 
And as the son of GoJj 
did vouchsafe to yield 
up his soul by death up- 
on the cross for your 
salvation ; so it isyoui 
duty to receive the com- 
munion in remembrance 
of the sacrifice of his 
death, as he himself 
hath commanded. Which 
if ye shall neglect todb, 
consider with yourselves 
how great is your ingra- 
titude to God, and how 
sore punishment hang- 
eth over your heads for 
the same ; wlien ye wil- 
fully abstain from the 
Lord's table, and sepa- 
rate from your brethren 
who come to feed on the 
banquet of that most 
Heavenly food. These 
things if ye earnestly 
consider, you will by 
God's grace return tor a 
better mind : for the ob- 
taining whereof, we 
shall not cease to make 
our humble petitions un- 



Fious reflections. 

it cost St. Peter, for 
saying, that he was not 
Christ's disciple? will it 
be accounted a less 
crime in me to deny hira 
in deed, by refusing to 
join myself with his dis- 
ciples ? 

What if this should 
jbe the last opportunity 
that God will vouchsafe 
me ? this having been 
(he case of many before 
'me ? 

Can I expect to here- 
ceived, after so many 
wilful neglects, wlien I 
am compelled by death 
to flee to Jesus Christ 
for l)elp and comforf, 
when I shall most stand 
in need of it ? 

Let me consider what 
I am invited to : to 
thank my Saviour for 
my redemption : to en- 
gage him to be my ad- 
vocate with God for my 
pardon : to declare my 
love and charity for all 
mankind, w hich he has 
been so good as to re- 



r 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



107 



Communion. 

10 Almiglity God, our 
Heavenly fatLer> 



Observations. 



Rubrics. 



^t the time of the celebra- 
tion of the commumon, the 
priett $haU §ay this exhorta- 
tion : 



deem : and to declare 
my resolutions of living 
as becomes a christian. 
'Tis true, I am unwor- 
thy (and who is not of 
himself unworthy of 
God's mercy?) and so 
am afraid of going un- 
jprepared : but then I 
will consider, that these 
very fears of offending 
iGod are some degree of 
{preparation ; and to re- 
fuse when I am invited« 
will biit increase my 
guitt» 

I will therefore go, 
that I may obtain grace 
to be better prepared, 
every time I have an 
opportunity of going to 
this sacrament. 



If you seriously at- 
tend to the following ex- 
hortation, you will be 
better able to judge how 
well you are prepared ; 



K 2 



108 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 



Observations. 

you will see the beneflts 
you may depend on by 
a worthy preparation, 
and the evils you ex- 
pose yourself to, by go- 
ing rashly, or out of 
mere custom^ to this ho* 
ly sacrament. 



Dearly beloved in the 
Lord^ ye who mind to 
come to the holy com- 
munion of the body and 
blood of our Saviour 
Christ, must consider 
how St. Paul exhortetb 
all persons diligently to 
try and examine them 
selves, before they pre 
sume to eat of that 
bread, and drink of that 
cup. For, as the benefit 
is great, if with a true 
penitent heart, and live 
ly faith, we receive that 
holy sacrament ; so is 
the danger great, if we 
receive the same unwor 
thily : Judge therefore 
yourselves, brethren, 
that ye be not judged of 
the Lord ; repent you 
truly for your sins pastj 



Here say secretly, 
may it be according to 
this word to me, and to 
every soul here present. 

Suffer us not, God, 
to draw this danger up- 
on ourselves^ by going 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. la^ 



Communion. 



have a lively and ated- 
fast faith in Christ out 
Saviour ; amend your 
lives; and be in perfect 
charity with all men ; 
so shall ye be meet par- 
takers of those hoi} 
mysteries. And, above 
all things* ye must give 
most humble and hear- 
ty thanks to God the 
father, the son, and the 
holy ghost, for the re 
demption of the world, 
by the death and pas- 
sion of our saviour 
Christ, both God and 
man ; who did humble 
himself, even to the 
death upon the cross^ 
for us miserable sin- 
ners, who lay in dark- 
ness and the shadow of 
death, that he might 
make us the children of 
God, and exalt us to 
everlasting life. And 
to ♦he end that we should 
always remember the 
exceeding great love of 
our master, and only 
saviour Jesus Christy 



Directions ^ devo- 
tions. 

presumptuously to thy 
holy table. 

I am indeed a miser- 
able sinner \ God be 
merciful to roe ! 

I believe : Lord, in- 
crease my faith. 

Blessed be the glori- 
ous trinity for our re- 
demption ! 

In these thy suflfer- 
ings, O Jesus, I see the 
punishment due to sm*- 
ners* 



Blessed be thy hoFy 
name, for this instance 
of thy love and concern 
for sinners, lest they 
should forget them* 
selves and thee ! 



Hi) 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 



thus dying for us, and 
the innumerable bene- 
fits, which by his pre- 
cious bloodshedding he 
hath obtained for us 
he hath instituted and 
ordained holy mysteries 
as pledges of his love, 
and for a continual re 
membrance of his death 
to our great and endless 
comfort- 

To him therefore, 
with the father and the 
holy ghost, let us give 
fas we are most bound- 
en) continual thanks^ 
submitting ourselves 
wholly to his holy will 
and pleasure, and stu- 
dying to serve him in 
true holiness and right- 
eousness all the days of 
our life. Amen. 



BUBRICK. 



Then shall the priest say to 
those that come to receive the 
holy communion : 



Directions ^ devo- 
tions. 

May I never forget 
this valuable blessing ! 
may I never neglect this 
way of preservir.g the 
remembrance of it I 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



Ill 



Communion. ]Birections ^ devO' 

tions. 



Ye that do truly and 
earnestly repent you of 
vour sins, and are in 
Jove and charity with 
your neighbours, and 
intend to lead a new 
life, following tlie com- 
mandoients of God, and 
walking from hence* 
forth in his holy ways : 
draw near with faith, 
and take this h'>ly sa- 
crament to your com- 
fort, and make your 
humble confession to 
Almighty God, devout 
\y kneeling. 

BUBRICK, 



Theii shall this general con- 
fession be made by the pries 
and all those -who are minded 
to receive the holy comiminiony 
humbly kneeling'. 



I do sincerely repent, 
and I am sorry for my 
sins. 

I forgivT, as I hope 
to be forgiven. 

This I purpose by the 
grace of God to do. 



May it he to mine, 
and to the comfort of 
every soul here pre- 
sent ! 

Observation. 

This most excellent 
form of confession may 
be made use of in pri- 
vate, by every one who 
is preparing himself for 
the 8acramdnt» 



Almig^hty God, father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, maker of all things, 
judge of all men ! >ve acknowledge 



112 THE ADMINISTRATION 

and bewail our manifold sins and 
wickedness 5 which we from time to 
time most grievously have commit- 
ted, by thought, word, and deed, 
against thy divine majesty, provok- 
ing most justly thy wrath and indig- 
nation against us. We do earnestly 
repent, and are heartily sorry for 
these our misdoings : the remem- 
brance of them is grievous unto us ; 
the burden of them is intolerable. 
Have mercy upon us, have mercy up- 
on us, most merciful father, for thy 
son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, 
forgive us all that is past : and grant 
that we may ever hereafter serve and 
please thee, in newness of life, to the 
honor and glory of thy name, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



Communion. 

EUBRICK. 

Then shall the priest^ ("the 
JBiskop, if he be prese7itjstan(l 
up ; and turning^ to the pea- 
piCy say : 

Almighty God, our 



■wfrT»^^9CT*t 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 113 



Communion. 

Heavenly father, who 
of his great mercy hath 
promised forgiveness of 
sins to all those, who 
with hearty repentance, 
and true faith, turn un- 
to him; have mercy up- 
on you; pardon and de- 
liver you from all your 
sins;confirm &strength 
en you in all goodness; 
and bring you to ever- 
lasting life, through Je- 
sus Christ our Lord 
Amen. 



Devotions, 



May this pardon, 
God, rest upon my soul, 
and seal the forgiveness 
of all my sins ! 



Then shall the priest say : 

Hear ^wliat comfortable words our 
Saviour Christ saitli unto all that tru- 
\y turn to him. 



Communion. 

Come unto me all 
that travel and are hea- 
vy laden, and I wili re- 



Bevotions. 

Make me, O Jesus, 
truly sensible of my sad 
condition, that I may 



♦These most comfortable words should always be read 
with gi-eat deliberation, that the people may have time to 
reflect upon them ; and to apply them every one lo the 
comfort of his own soul; and to prev-ent all unreasonable 
fears and doubts of God's gracious pardon and acceptance. 



114 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 

fresh you. — St. Matt. 
Xi. 28. 

So Go^l loved tlie 
world, that he gave his 
only begotten son, to 
the end that all that be- 
lieve in him should not 
perish, but have ever- 
lasting life. — St. John 
iii. 16. 

Hear also what St. Paul 
saith : 
This is a true saying, 
and worthy of all men 
to be received, that 
Christ Jesus came into 
the world to save sin- 
ners. — I Tim. i. 15. 



Hear also what. St. John 
sailh : 
If any man sin, we 
have an advocate with 
the father, Jesus Christ 
the righteous, and he is 
the propitiation for our 
sins. — I John ii. i, 2. 



Devotions. 

more gladly go to thee 
for help. 

I believe : Lord, in- 
crease my faitli, that I 
may ever love and obey 
thee, who hadst such 
love and concern for 
me to save me from pe- 
rishing. 



I receive this truth, 
Lord, with a thank- 
ful heart. O let not 
that compassion be lost 
upon me, which moved 
thee to come into the 
world to save sinners. 



I Lave sinned, O bles- 
sed advocate ; and do 
therefore put my cause 
into thy hands, that by 
thy blood and merits, 
and powerful interces- 
sion, thou mayest pro- 
cure my pardon. 



««••"« I" 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 115 

Jlfter which the priest shall proceed^ 
saying, 

Lift up your hearts. 

Jlnsw. We lift them up unto the 
liOrd. 

Priest. Let us give thanks unto 
our Lord God. 

Jinsw. It is meet and right so to 
do. 



Then shall the priest turn to the Lord^s 
table, and say, 

It is very meet, right, and our 
bounden duty, that we should at all 
times, and in all places, give thanks 
unto thee, O Lord, *(Holy Father,) 
Almighty, and everlasting God ! 



• The words " Holy Father/* must be omitted on Ti i- 
nity Sunday. 



116 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Here shall follow the proper preface^ 
according to the time^ if there he 
any specially appointed ; or else 
immediately shall be said or sung 
by the priest and people. 



Communion. 



Therefore with angels 
and archangels, and 
with all the company of 
Heaven, we laud and 
magnify thy glorious 
name, evermore prais- 
ing thee, and saying, 
Holy, holy, holy, Lord 
God of hosts. Heaven 
and earth are full of 
thy glory. Glory be 
to thee, O Lord most 
high. Amen. 

Proper prefaces, 

Upon Christmas-day, & 
seven days after. 



Because thou didst 
give Jesus Christ thine 
only son, to be born as 
at this time for us^ who 



Directions ^ devo- 
tions. 

If this form of prais- 
ing the most high God 
were oftener in christi- 
ans mouths than it is, it 
would most certainly 
render them more wor- 
thy both to join in this 
service here, and in hea- 
ven, with the angels of 
God, hereafter. 



These €hort prayers fol- 
lowing may be made 
use of in your private 
devotions, either ift 
church or at home. 

Form in me, God, 
by the power of tha 
same spirit, all the 
graces ^ virtues which 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 117 



Proper prefaces. 



by the operation of the 
holy ghost was made ve- 
ry man, of the substance 
ofthe Virgin Mary his 
mother, and that with- 
out spot of sin, to make 
us clean from all sin. 
Therefore with angels, 



Upon Easter-day, and 
seven days after. 



But chiefly are we 
bound to praise theefoi 
the glorious resurrection 
of thy ^on ^esus Christ 
our Lord : for be is the 
very Paschal Lamb 
which was offered for us 
and hath taken away the 
sin of the world ,• who 
by his death hath des- 
troyed death, and by 
his rising to life again, 
hath restored to us ever 
lasting life. Therefore 
with angels, &c. 



Devotions. 



thy holy son came to 
teach us, when he cloth- 
ed himself with our flesh 
in order to restore us 
to thy favour, and to fit 
us for Heaven. 



May that all-power- 
ful spirit, which, raised 
up Jesus our Lord from 
the dead, raise me from 
the death of sin unto the 
life of righteousness ; 
that living in thy favor^, 
I may die in peace and 
rest in hope of a blessed 
resurrection ! 



118 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Proper prefaces. 

L'pon ascension-day, & 
seven days after. 



Through thy most 
dearly beloved son Jesus 
Christ our Lord, who 
after his most glorious 
resurrection, manifestly 
appeared to all his a- 
postles, and in their 
sight ascended up into 
Heaven, to prepare a 
place for us ; that w here 
he is, thither we might 
also ascend, and reign 
with him in glory. — 
Therefore with angels, 
&c. 



Upon Whitsunday, and 
six days after. 

Through Jesus Christ 
my Lord, according to 
whose most true pro- 
mise, the holy ghost 
came down, as at this 
time, from Heaven, with 
a sudden great sound, 
as it had been a mighty 
wind, in the likenei^s o 



Devotions. 

St. John xii. 26. 

Where I am, there also 

shall my servant be. 

Give me, God, such 
a lively faith in this pro- 
mise, as may influence 
my will, my heart, and 
life, — that devoting niy- 
seif entirely to thy ser- 
vice, and following the 
holy example of thy son, 
I may, through his me- 
rits and mediation, be 
made eternally happy. 



I adore thy goodness 
and mercy, O God, fop 
the invaluable blessing 
of the gospel, establish- 
ed in the world by the 
power of the holy ghost. 
May the same good spi- 
rit sanctify, govern, and 
flpreserve this church ! 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 



119 



Communion. 

iiery tongues, lighting 
upon the apostles, to 
teach them, and to lead 
them to all truth / giv 
ing them both the gift 
of divers languages, 
and also boldness with 
fervent zeal, constantly 
to preach the gospel un- 
to all nations ; where- 
by we have been bro't 
out of darkness and er- 
ror, into the clear light, 
and true knowledge of 
thee, and of thy son Je- 
sus Christ. Therefore 
with angels^ &c» 



Communion. 

Upon the feast of Tri 
nity onlyr 



Devotions. 

keep all her members 
from the spirit of error 
and delusion ! Guard 
her faith against the 
restless attempts nf sa- 
I an ant! his agents; and 
lead all in the way of 
life eternal, through Je- 
sus Christ eur Lord, 
Amen» 



Who art one God, 
one Lord ; not one only 
person, hut three per- 
sons in one substance. 
For that which we be- 
lieve of the glory of the 
Father^ the same we 
believe of the Son, and 



eternal God, who 
hast manifested thyself 
to us christians, by thy 
mighty love to lost man- 
kind ; accept of my de- 
voutest thanks, O Fa- 
ther, for sending thy 
son to redeem us y for 



Lt 



120 



THE ADMINISTRATION 



Communion. 

of the Hoi/ Ghost, 
without any difference 
of inequality. There- 
fore with angels, &c« 



Directions. 

thy compassion, Je- 
sus, in laying down thy 
life for us ; and for thy 
grace, O Holy Ghost, to 
make us fit objects of the 
divine mercya 



Or else this may be said, 
the words (Holy Fa- 
ther) being retained 
in the introductory 
address. 

For the precious death 
and merits of thy son 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
and for the sending to 
us of the Holy Ghost, 
the comforter i who are 
one with th^e in thy e- 
lernal Godhead. There- 
fore with angels^ &c. 



Kubrick. 

Then shall the priest kneel- When the pPlCSt ftC* 
ing down at the Lord's table, knowlcdecs, in the fol- 
agt/i in the name of all those , . ^ . '-^ i_i p i_ • 

that, hall receive the c<„^. lowirfg huBlWe form, hlS 



nion, this prayer foUQwing' 



own and the communi- 
cants unwortbiness, and 
God's unmerited kind- 
ness in admitting them 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 121 

Directions. 



to his table ; make this 
act of humility jour 
own, by attending to it 
most devoutly. 



COMMUNION. 

We do not presume to come to this 
thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting 
in our own righteousness, but in thy 
manifold and great mercies. We are 
not worthy so much as to gather up 
the crumbs under thy table. But 
thou art the same Lord, whose pro- 
perty is always to have mercy. Grant 
us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat 
the flesh of thy dear son Jesus Christ, 
and to drink his blood, that our sin- 
ful bodies may be made clean by 
his body, and our souls washed 
through his most precious blood ; 
and that we may evermore dwell in 
him, and he in us. Amen» 



122 THE ADMINISTRATION 

Communion. ' Directions. 



RUBRICK^ 



if hen the priest, standing 
before the tabie, hath so order- 
ed the bread and -urine, that he 
may ivith the more readi7ie9s 
and decency break the bread 
before the people, and take the 
cup into his hands, he shall 
aay the prayer of consecration 
atfolloTveth^ .* 



Here there will be a de- 
cent pause, when you 
will have time pri- 
vately to offer this 
short prayer for your- 
self, and for all pre- 
sent. 

Th€ good Lord par- 
don me, and every one 
here present, who hath 
prepared his heart to 
seek the Lord^ though 
he be not cleansed ac» 
cording to the purifica- 
tion of the sanctuary ! 
— II Chron* xxx. 18^ 
19. 



All glory he to thee. Almighty 
God, our heavenly Father, for that 
thou, of thy tender mercy, didst give 
thine only son Jesus Christ to suffer 
death upon the cross for our redemp- 
tion J v^^ho made there (by his one 
6hlation of himself once offered) a 
full, perfect; and sufficient sacrifice, 



4 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 123 

oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins 
of the whole world ; and did insti- 
tute, and in his holy gospel command 
us to continue a perpetual memory 
of that his precious death and sacri- 
fice until his coming again : for in 
the night in which he was betrayed, 
(a)he took bread : and when he had 
given thanks, (b)he brake it, and 
gave it to his disciples, saying, take 
eat, (c)this is my body, which is giv- 
en for you ; do this in remembrance 
of me. Likewise after supper(d) he 
took the cup : and when he had giv- 
en thanks, he gave it to them, say- 
ing, drink ye all of this, for (e)this is 
my blood, of the New Testament, 
which is shed for you, and for many, 
for the remission of sins : do this as 
oft as ye shall diink it, in remem- 
brance of me. 



(a) Here the priest is to take the paten into 
his hands, (b) ^nd here to break the bread, 
(e) And here to lay his bands upon all the 
bread, (d) Here he is to take the cup into his 
hand, (e) And here he is to lay his hand up- 
on every vessel, in which there is any wine to 
be consecrated. 



lai THE ADMINISTRATION 

THE OBLATION. 

Wherefore^ O Lord and heavenly 
Father, according to the institution 
of thy dearly beloved son our Saviour 
Jesus Christ, we^ thy humble ser- 
vants, do celebrate and make here 
before thy divine majesty^ with these 
thy holy gifts, which we now offer 
unto thee, the memorial thy son hath 
commanded us to make ; having ia 
remembrance his blessed passion 
and precious death, his mighty re- 
surrection and glorious ascension ; 
rendering unto thee most hearty 
thanks, for the innumerable ben€fits 
procured unto us by the same. 

THE INVOCATION. 

And we most humbly beseech 
thee, O merciful Father, to hear us j. 
and, of thy Almighty goodness, 
vouchsafe to bless and sanctify^ with 
thy word and holy spirit, these thy 
gifts and creatures of bread and wine, 
that we, receiving them according to 
thy son our Saviour Jesus Christ's 
holy institution, in remembrance of 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 125 

his death and passion, may be par- 
takers of his most blessed body and 
blood. And we earnestly desire thy 
fatherly goodness, mercifully to ac- 
cept this our sacrifice of praise and 
thanksgiving; most humbly beseech- 
ing thee to grant, that by the merits 
and death of thy son Jesus Christ, 
and through faith in his blood, we, 
and all thy whole church, may ob- 
tain remission of our sins, and all 
other benefits of his passion. And 
here we offer and present unto thee, 
O Lord, ourselves, our souls, and bo- 
dies, to be a reasonable, holy, and 
living sacrifice unto thee ; humbly 
beseeching thee, that we, and all 
others who shall be partakers of this 
holy communion, may worthily re- 
ceive the most precious body and 
blood of thy son Jesus Christ, be 
filled with thy grace and heavenly 
benediction, and made one body with 
him, that he may dwell in them, and 
they in him. And although we are 
unworthy, through our manifold sins, 
to offer unto thee any sacrifice ; yet 



126 



THE ADMINISTRATION. 



we beseech tliee to accept this our 
bounden duty and service^ not weigh- 
ing our meritSj but pardoning our 
offences, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord ; by whom, and with whom, in 
the unity of the holy ghost, all honor, 
and glory be unto thee, O Father 
Almighty, world without end. Amen. 
Here shall be sung a hymn, or 
part of a hymn, from the selection 
for the feasts and fasts, ^c. 



Communion- 

RUBRICK. 



Then shall the minister Jlrst 
receive the communion in both 
kinds himself, and then pro 
ceedto deliver the same to the 
'bishops, priests, and deacons, 
in like manner fif any be pre 
se7itj and after that to the 
people also in order, into their 
hands, all meekly kneeling. 



Directions. 



While the minister 
and others are receiv- 
ing the communion, you 
may employ the time 
you have to spare in 
reading some of the 
scriptures following, & 
the meditations upon 
them. 

Remember that no 
posture can be too hum- 
ble, when we are to re- 
ceive a pardon, and a 
pardon which must de- 
liver us from death e- 
ternah 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 127 



DEYOTIONS 



o 



St. Luke XV. 2. The Pharisees murmured, 
paying, this man receiveth sinners, and eateth 
with them. 

I thank thee, O Jesus, for this in- 
stance of thy charity for sinners : I 
do indeed confess, that I am one of 
that wretched number ; and do be- 
seech thee to receive me, though a 
very unworthy guest, that I may eat 
at thy table, and be partaker of thy 
favours. 

St. Matt. XX. 32f 33. Jesus said, what will 
ye that I should do unto you ? the blind men 
said, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 

O Lord, thou knowest the desires 
of my heart ; for it is thy grace that 
has wrought them in me, and besides 
thee there is none else that can help 
me : I pray thee, therefore, that thou 
wouldst have compassion on me, as 
thou hadst on these blind men : that 

M 



128 THE ADMINISTRATION 

the eyes of my mind may be open- 
ed : that I may recover the light 
which sin hath deprived me of: that 
I may see the great goodness of God, 
in sending thee to redeem us : that 
I may see the due reward of sin in 
thy sufferings and death : and that I 
may follow thy holy example all the 
days of my life, 

St. Mark ii. 17. I came not to call the 
righteous, but sinners to repentance, 

O Lord, who hast called me to re- 
pentance by thy word, and by this 
ordinance, call me also by thy grace; 
but call me so powerfully, that I may 
not turn a deaf ear, and that I may 
not resist thy call. I am forced in- 
deed to bring my sins along with me; 
but it is to crucify them with thee, 
and with a full purpose, through thy 
grace, never to return to those sins I 
have repented of. 

St. John vi. 58. He that eateth of this bread 
shall live forever. 

O Jesus, who hast made the life of 



OF IHE LORD^S SUPPER. ±Z9 

our souls to depend upon this bread, 
grant that 1 may never render my. 
self unworthy to receive so great a 
blessing, or deprive myself of it by 
my own negligence. Make it a prin- 
ciple of immortal life to me, by unit- 
ing me to thee, and to thy body, that 
I may be made partaker of a divine 
nature •^ 

Exod. xii. 23. When ke seeth the blood (of 
the Paschal Lamb) on the door, he wiU not 
suffer the destroyer to come in to smite you. 

Jesus, the true Paschal Lamb, 
who by thy precious bloqd hast paid 
the debt due to the divine justice, and 
hast delivered us from the power of 
the destroyer! let me never want this 
token of my redemption, this saving 
mark of thy Almighty protection, 
against the power of the devil, Avho 
is continually seeking whom he may 
devour. 

1 Cor. xi. 28. Let a man examine himself, 
and so let him eat of that breads and drink of 
that cup. 

That I am invited to thv table, is 



130 THE ADMINISTRATION 

not because I am worthy, but because 
thou, O God, art infinitely good and 
kind. Pity my infirmities, which are 
known to'thee, and accept of my im- 
perfect obedience to this command. 
1 acknowledge my unworthiness : I 
place all my hopes in thy mercy and 
promises in Jesus Christ : I sincere- 
ly purpose to lead a christian life, and 
to use all diligence to make my call- 
ing and election sure ; with these 
purposes I go to thine altar, trusting 
in thy goodness for the pardon of ray 
defects, and for an increase of all 
those graces that are necessary to 
make me more worthy to eat of that 
bread, and drink of that cup. 



OF THE LORD^S SUPPER. 131 
Communion, j Devotions. 



When the minister deliver' 
eth the bread he shall say. 

The body of owr Lord 
Jesus Christ, which was 
given for thee, preserve 
thy body and soul unto 
everlasting life ! Take 
and eat this in remem- 
brance that Christ died 
for thee, and feed on 
him in thy heart by 
faith with thanksgiving. 

BUBRICK. 

And the minister that deli- 
vereth the cup to any one shall 

The blood of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, which was 
shed for thee, preserve 
thy body and soul unto 
everlasting life ! Drink 
this in remembrance 
that Christ's blood was 
sbed for thee^ and be 
thankfuK 



Amen— May it be un- 
to me according to thy 
word, a seal of my par- 
don, and a pledge of my 
salvation ! 



Amen — May the Wooii 
f Christ cleanse me 
from all sin ! and may 
the remembrance of his 
death be ever seasona- 
bly present with me ! 

Blessing, and honor, 
and glory, and thanks- 
giving, and power, be 
M % 



132 THE ADMINISTRATION. 

Communion, i Levotions. 



unto God^ and unto the 
Lamb^ for ever and c* 
ver ! Amen. 



RUBRICK. 



Then shall the priest say the 
Lord* s prayer, the people re- 
peating after him every peti- 
Hon, 



Now return to your 
seat, that you may not 
hinder others from com- 
ing to the altar. At the 
end of this service you 
will find proper medita- 
tions wherewith lo en- 
tertain yourself, until all 
have received the com- 
munion. 



Our Father which art 
in Heaven, hallowed be 
thy name. Thy king 
dom come. Thy will be 
done on earth, as it is in 
Heaven. Give us this 
day our daily bread 
And forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive 
them that trespass a- 
gainst us. And lead us 
not into temptation. But 



Now, being made one 
with Christ, and Christ 
with us, we have full 
liberty to apply to God 
as our heavenly father, 
and to hope for all the 
blessings which a ten- 
der father knows to be 
necessary for us. 



riife 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 133 

Communion. 



deliver us from evil : 
For thine is the king- 
dom, and the power, 
and the glory, for ever 
and ever. Amen. 



After shall be said as follows : 

Almighty and ever-living God, we 
most heartily thank thee, for that 
thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who 
have duly received these holy myste- 
ries, with the spiritual food of the 
most precious body and blood of thy 
Son our saviour Jesus Christ ; and 
dost assure us thereby of thy favour 
and goodness towards us ; and that 
we are very members incorporate in 
the mystical body of thy Son, which 
is the blessed company of all faithful 
people ; and are also heirs through 
hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by 
the merits of the most precious death 
and passion of thy dear son. And 
we most humbly beseech thee, O hea- 
venly father, so to assist us with thy 



13* THE ADMINISTRATION ' 

grace, that we may continue in that 
holy fellowship, and do all such good 
works as thou hast prepared for us to 
walk in, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord, to whom, with thee, and the 
holy ghost, he all honor and glory, 
world without end 1 Amen. 



Communion. 

RUBBICK. 



T?ien shall be said or sun^, 
all standing, Gloria in excel- 
sis, or some proper hymn /rom 
the ielecHQTu 



Then shall be said or sung^ 

Glory be to God on high, and on 
earth peace, good will towards men. 
We praise thee, we bless thee, we 
worship thee, we glorify thee, we 
give thanks to thee for thy great glo- 
ry, O Lord God, heavenly king, God 
the Father Almighty. 

O Lord, the only begotten son Je- 
sus Christ ; O Lord God, Lamb of 
God, son the Father, that takest away 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 135 

the sins of the world, have mercy 
upoa us. Thou that takest away the 
sins of the world have mercy upon 
us. Thou that takest away the sins 
of the world, receive our prayer. 
Thou that sittest at the right hand of 
God the Father, have mercy upon 
us. 

For thou only art holy : thou only 
art the Lord : thou only, O Christ, 
with the holy ghost, art most high in 
the glory of God the Father. 

After the example of our blessed Lord^ who^ 
when he had instituted and ordained this sa- 
crament^ sung an hymn ; so do we praise God 
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for our re- 
demption, in this most excelkut hymn. 



Communion. 



RUBRICK. 



Then the priest Cor bishop, 
if he be present J shall let 
them depart -with thia blessing: 



Directions. 



Receive this blessing 
as coming from God 
himself, with all ima- 
ginable devotion. The 
reason and manner of 



136 THE ADMIiNISTRATION 

Bireetions. 

receiving this blessings 
see below.* 

The peace of God which passeth 
all understanding, keep your hearts 
and minds in the knowledge and 
love of God, and of his son Jesus 
Christ our Lord ! and the hlessing of 
God Almighty, the father, the son, 
and the holy ghost, be amongst you,, 
and remain with you always! Amen. 

COLLECTS 

That may be said after the collects 
of Morning and Evening prayer^ or 
communion^ at the discretion of the 
minister. 

Assist us mercifully, O Lord^ in 



♦ The solemn blessing with which the priest dismissed 
the people after the daily sacrifice, by God's especial or- 
der (Numb. vi. 24.) was this : The Lord bless thee, and 
keep thee ! The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, 
and he gracious unto thee ! The Lord lift up the light of 
his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 

And with what devotion they received this blessing, wo 
are told (Ecclus. i. 21.) The priest liftec^ up his hand ever 
the congregation, to give the blessing of the Lord with 
his lips; and they bowed themselves down, that they 
might receive the blessing from the most high. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER- 137 

these our supplications and prayers, 
and dispose the way of thy servants 
towards the attainment of everlasting 
salvation ; that among all the changes 
and chances of this mortal life, they 
may ever be defended by thy most 
gracious and ready help^ through Je- 
sus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

And, lest any one should think too lightly of 
this blessing, because pronounced by a poor 
mortal like himself, it is added (Numb. vi. 27.) 
I (the Lord) will bless them : Shewing that the 
effect of the blessing does not depend upon 
man, but upon the ordinance of God, from the 
mouth of his own minister, whom God hath 
chosen to bless in the name of the Lord. — 
Deut. xxi. 5. 

Grant, we heseech thee, Almighty 
God, that the words which we have 
heard this day with outward ears, 
may, through thy grace, be so graft- 
ed inwardly in our hearts, that thej 
may bring forth in us the fruit of 
good living, to the honor and praise 
of thy name, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Jlmen. 

Direct us, O Lord, in all our do- 



1 



138 THE ADMINISTRATION 

ings with thy most gracious favour, f 
and further us with thy continual 
help, that in all our works hegun, 
continued, and ended in thee, we 
may glorify thy holy name, and final- 
ly hy thy mercy ohtain everlasting 
life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
dmen. 

Almighty God, the fountain of all 
wisdom, who knowest our necessities 
before we ask, and our ignorance in 
asking ; we beseech thee to have 
compassion upon our infirmities; and 
those things which for our unworthi- 
ness we dare not, and for our blind- 
ness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give 
us, for the worthiness of thy son Je- 
sus Christ our Lord. dmen. 

Almighty God, who hast promised 
to hear the petitions of them that 
ask in thy son's name, we beseech 
thee mercifully te incline thine ear 
to us, that have made now our pray- 
ers and supplications unto thee ; and 
grant that those things which we 
have faithfully asked according to thy 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. ±Z9 

will, may effectuallj be obtained, to 
the relief of our necessity, and to 
the settingforth of thy glory, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Jimen. 



THE END. 



N 



PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

ATTERTHE. 

SACRAMENT, 

EITHER IN THE CHURCH OR AT HOME. 

After you have received, and are 
returned to your seat, you may, (as 
you have time) continue your devo- 
tions. 

And remember that now is the 
proper season to beg of God the 
graces and blessings you most de- 
sire ; whether for yourself, for your 
friends, or for your enemies, who 
should always have a place in your 
praj ers. 

And be not under any concern for 
suitable words to make known, the 



143 PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

desires of your heart. God is our 
father and will understand his chil- 
dren's meaning, however imperfectly 
expressed. \ou know how the hum- 
ble publican was heard, though he 
said no more than God, be merciful 
unto me a sinner ! 

The following scriptures, and the 
meditations upon them, may help 
your devotions, either now, or at any 
other time, to obtain the graces you 
stand in need of ; to preserve in your 
heart a spirit of piety ; or to keep in 
your mind the vows that are upon 
you. 

•3 short form of thanksgiving.'^ 

I Thess. V. 18. In every thing give thanks ; 
for this is the will of God. 

O Lord and father, I am not wor- 
thy of the least of all the mercies 



* If christians would but accustom themselves to ren- 
der to God the glory of his mercies; to take notice of, and 
to give him thanks for, the many favours, deliverances, 
visitations, or chastisements, they every day meet with, 
they would most surely engage the divine goodness and 
providence to multiply those blessings upon them, which 
' they put a stop to by their ingratitude^ 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT, ±iS 

which thou hast shewed thy servant; 
neither can I render due thanks and 
praise far them f but, O God, accept 
of this my sacrifice of praise and 
thanksgiving. For this, and for all 
thy known and unohserved favours of 
nature and of grace, I bless thy good 
providence ; beseeching thee to par- 
don my ingratitude, and that I have 
passed so many occasions without 
observing, and without acknowledg- 
ing, thy great goodness to thy un- 
worthy servant. For when I consi- 
der my dependence upon thee, for 
my life, for my preservation, for my 
redemption, and for the means of 
grace and salvation which thou hast 
afibrded me, I cannot but be very 
thankful. As long therefore, as I 
live, I will praise thee. Glory be to 
God my creator ; glory be to Je&us 
my redeemer ; glory be to the holy 
ghost my sanctifier, my guide, and 
comforter ! all love, all praise and 
glory, be to God most high 1 Amen. 

N 2 



±i^ PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

St. John xvi. 25. Verily, verily, I say ontu 
you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in 
my name, he will give it you. 

In all humility, O heavenly father, 
I lay claim to this thy son's most 
faithful promise, confirmed by his 
oath. In his name^ and for his sake. 
I beseech thee to give me an heart 
truly sensible of his great love in 
paying the debt due, by me, to thy 
divine justice ; and grant that the 
merits of his death and sacrifice may 
not be lost upon me. 

Give me a saving faith and know- 
ledge ; a sincere love for thee, and 
for thy holy word ; an hearty desire 
to please thee : a fear of offending 
thee ; a zeal for thy glory, and a great 
regard for every thing that belongs 
to thee. 

Give me such a love for my neigh- 
bor as thou hast commanded ; a due 
regard for my betters, and an utter 
abhorrence of all manner of fraudj 
injustice, and wrong. 

Give me a tender conscience, a 
meek and, quiet spirit, a charitablcj 
an humblC; and a contented mind. 



fT' 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT. 145 

Give me a just sense of my own 
infirmities, a dread of sensual plea- 
sures, a power over my appetites, 
and a fear of the world, and its idols. 

Leave me not to my own choice : 
keep me from pride, and from pre- 
sumptuous sins : from wicked prin- 
ciples, and wicked company ; and 
from the vices of the age and place I 
live in. 

Make me ever mindful of my lat- 
ter end. and of the account I must 
one day give of my life, and of the ta- 
lents with which tliou shalt entrust 
mcc And grant that I may lead an 
innocent and an useful life, by doing^ 
good in my generation. 

Take possession of my soul, until 
I am restored to thy divine image, 
from which I am sadlv fallen. 

For these, and for all the graces I 
stand in need of, I plead thy gracious 
goodness, and my saviour*s merits 
and promise to all that ask in his 
name : and I know thou wilt not de- 
ny me, hecause the very will to ask 
these mercies is from thee, and thy 
good spirit. Amen. 



14,6 PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

Rom. viii. 32. He that spared not his ownsorif 
but delivered him up for us all, how shall be 
not with him also freely give us all things ? 

This is indeed, O God, a sure 
pledge of thy infinite love for thy 
poor creatures. Upon this I depend, 
when my heart is in heayiness. This 
is my refuge, when I rememher my 
sins and thy divine justice. O make 
me truly sensible of tliis thy great 
love : and give me the graces wliich 
that love sees needful for me, for Je- 
sus Christ's sake, the son of thy love. 
Jlmen. 

St. Luke xxiv. 26. Ought not Christ to have 
suffered these things^ and to enter into his 
glory ? 

It vras necessary for thee, O Christ,^ 
to suffer, because thou tookest upon 
thee to ansvrer for sinners ; and to 
shew us what treatment our sins de- 
serve. O make my sufferings in this 
life, in union with thine, acceptable 
to God ; and enable me to bear them 
as thoii didst, with patience and re- 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT. lir 

signation, this being the only way to 
glory. Jimen. 

II Cor. V, 15. Christ died for all» that they 
which live should not henceforth live unto 
themselves^ but unto him which died for 
them. 

From this moment, O Christ, 1 
consecrate that life to thee, which 
thou hast redeemed from the slavery 
of sin and satan, by thy most precious 
blood. Fortify my soul, I beseech 
thee, against all the temptations of 
the world, the flesh, and the devil, 
by the remembrance of this thy love; 
that I may live to thee, and to th^ 
glory of God. ^men. 

II Cor. vi. 16. Ye are the temple of the living 
God : as God hath said^ I will dwell in them 
and walk in them ; and I will be their God> 
and they shall be my people. 

Make me, O God, truly sensible of 
this great honour and blessing of be- 
ing the habitation of thy good spirit ; 
of the holiness required of me, and 
of the great danger of profaning a 
temple^consecrated to thee. Make me 



us PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

worthy of thy continual abode and 
presence. Take possession of my 
heart and soul ; and let nae know, 
that thou dwellest in me, by the fruits 
of thy spirit. Amen. 

Heb. xii. If 2. Let us run with patienee the 
race that is set before us^ looking unto Je* 
sus^ &c. 

Grant, O God, that I may bear all 
the troubles of this life with a meek 
and patient spirit, without repining 
at what thou shalt appoint for the pu- 
nishment of sin, and for the salva- 
tion of the sinner. I will look unto 
thee, O Jesus, when thou wast in the 
place of sinners, with what patience 
thou didst bear the scorn, the indig- 
nities, the unrighteous judgment, the 
miserable death of the cross : and 
this, by thy grace, shall be my pat- 
tern. Amen. 

St. Luke xxiii. 41. We receive the due re- 
ward of our deeds : but this man hath done 
nothing amiss. 

I confess, O God, with this male. 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT. 149 

factor, that whatever I suifer in this 
life, I suffer most justly for my sins ! 
and therefore, with the submission of 
a penitent criminal, under the right- 
eous sentence of death, I offer my 
life a sacrifice of obedience to thy 
divine justice, in union with that of 
my' saviour's, at what time, and in 
what manner, to thee shall seem 
meet ; trusting in the merits of my 
redeemer, at the hour of deatli, and 
in the day of judgment. Amen. 

St. Luke XT. 6* I have fuund my sheep which 
was lost. 

O good shepherd, I thank thee for 
thy tender care and cencern for thy 
lost sheep. I had, indeed, been for- 
ever lost, had not thy love sought and 
found me, when I was astray : for thy 
goodness sake keep me, for the time 
to come, from wandering from thee 
and from thy fold. Amen. 



i«) PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

St. John T. 14. Behold thou art made whole: 
sin no mere^ lest a worse thing come UBto 
thee. 

Lord, the frailty of man without 
thee cannot but fall : in all tempta- 
tions therefore, I beseech thee to 
succour me, that no sin, no evil spirit, 
may ever get the dominion over me* 
Amen. 

Sk Matt. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray» that jt 
enter not into temptation. 

Make me, O Lord, ever mindful of 
my infirmities and backslidings, that 
I may be more watchful, and more 
earnest for grace, for the time to 
come ; that the adversary of my soul 
may never find me off my guard, or 
from under thy protection. 

St. Luke xi. 13. Your heavenly father will 
give (he holy spirit to them that ask him. 

O heavenly father, let it be unto 
thy servant according to this word. 
Abandon me not, I beseech thee, to 
the opposition that I shall at any time 
make to thy holy spirit, that I may 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT. 151 

never render myself unworthy of so 
great a blessing. 

St. John viii. 51. If a man keep my saying, 
he shall never see death, 

O Jesus, who hast made known to 
us another death besides that which 
separates our souls from our bodies, 
let thy grace and mercy deliver me 
from the bitter pains of eternal death. 
Amen. 

St. Matt. xi. £9. Learn of me, for I am meek 
and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest 
unto your souls. 

O heavenly master and pattern, 
how am I astonished, when I consi- 
der thy humility, thy poverty, thy 
meekness, thy resignation, in the 
midst of injuries, oppression, and 
wrongs ! It must be thy Almighty 
grace which must enable me to fol- 
low thy example, and submit to this 
way of peace, to which our nature is 
so averse : for this grace I now pray, 
through thy merits and mediation, O 
Jesus. Amen. 

O 



A^^^^H^^MHH^MIIIlHiia 



152 PRIVATE DEVOTIONS 

St. Luke xxiii. 34. Jesus said, father, forgive 
thein ; for they know not what they do. 

We do not indeed consider what 
we do, when we provoke that justice 
which could not be appeased, but by 
the death of the son of God ! If 1 
have any enemies, O God, I beseech 
thee for them after this example, not 
for judgment and vengeance, but for 
mercy ; for their pardon ; and for 
their eternal happiness. Amen. 



St. Luke xiii. 26, 27. Then shall ye say, we 
have eaten and drank in thy presence, &e. 
But he shall say, I tell yor, 1 know you not; 
depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 



Let me not depart from thy table 
and presence, O Lord, without ob- 
taining the grace to lead a Godly and 
a christian life ; that I may escape 
this terrible and just judgment to be 
passed upon all those who enjoy the 
means of grace and salvation, without 
being bettered by them, but continue 
to lead unchiistian lives. Amen. 



AFTER THE SACRAMENT. 153 

St. John i. 12. As many as received hira, to 
them gave he power (and right) to become 
the sons of Q^d, even to theV^hat believe 
on his name. 

T will not live in sin ; knowing, O 
God, that I am accounted thine* O 
Jesus, who hast obtained for us this 
mighty privilege, give me grace to 
live as becomes the child of so great, 
so good, so holy a father ; that I may 
never abuse this mercy, nor forfeit 
the right of the inheritance of the 
children of God, bj^ infidelity, or dis- 
obedience to the commands of my 
heavenly father. Amen. 

St. John xiv. 27. My peace I leave with youj 
my peace I give unto you. 

It must be thy spirit, O prince of 
peace, that must put us into posses- 
sion of this thy last and dying legacy. 
O give me this peace which the 
world cannot give ; which passeth all 
understanding! The peace and plea- 
•sure of being in the favour of God ; 
and that I may possess my soul in 
peace, in the midst of the tempta- 



l^i SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

tions, and troubles, and allurements, 
of this p]ji|jient evil world. And let 
this peace, which thou hast purchas- 
ed with thy precious blood, be with 
me and with thy whole church, ever- 
more. Amen. 



Concerning Spiritual Communion. 

m 

The * church, for the comfort and 
advantage of such christians as thro' 
any just impediment are hindered 
from receiving the Lord's Supper, 
(in the manner which she has ap- 
pointed, that is, from the hands of 
Christ's own minister) has given us 
this instruction : 

" That if we do truly repent of our 
sins ; have a lively faith of God's 



* See the second Kubrick after the Office of 
thQ Communion of the Sick. 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 155 

mercy through Christ, with a thank- 
ful remembrance of iiis death, ^c. 
we do eat and drink the body and 
blood of Christ, profitably, and to our 
soul's health, although we do not re- 
ceive the sacrament with our mouth/' 

They that composed this Rubrick, 
had, it is very probable, an eye to the 
daily sacrifice, which, under the law 
of 3Jases, was offered for the whole 
people of Israel ; at which all such 
pious persons who could not possibly 
be present^ yet offered their daily 
prayers to God in union of Spirit, 
and in virtue of that sacrifice offered 
in the temple, and which, no doubt 
of it were accepted of God. 

Kow, forasmuch as very many pi- 
ous souls do labour under this sad 
impediment, especially in many coun- 
try churches, where the sacrament is 
but too seldom administered : to sup- 
ply this defect, some such help as 
the following may be made use of, on 
the Lord's Day, or on any other He- 
ly-day^ in order to preserve in our 

3 



156 SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

minds the memorial of our redemp- 
tion ; to improve our grateful affec- 
tions towards our redeemer ; to keep 
up a continual correspondence with 
Hearen ; to preserve in us a spirit of 
piety, devotion, and charity, that we 
may always be prepared to receive 
the Lord's Supper, whenever we shall 
have an opportunity of doing it, in 
public, as a public and solemn ac- 
knowledgment of our being in com- 
munion with Christ, and with every 
mejiiber of the church of Christ ; 
and which no good christian will ne- 
glect, on any pretence of Spiritual 
Communion. 

^St. Luke xxii. 19. Do this in remembrance 

of me. 

O good saviour, I will, through thy 
grace, do this in remembrance of 
thee, and in obedience to thy com- 
mand, as well as I am able. 



* We do not want examples for recommend- 
ing the Spiritual Communion. The learned and 
pious Bishop Tayloh, the worthy and ingenious 
«^uthor of the Unhloodtj Sacrifice ; the devotit 






f«T?gB7-^>- 



SPIRITUAI- COMxMUNION. 157 



I do therefore this good day join in 
desire and spirit with every chns- 
tian congregation in the world, 
which truly celebrates this holy mj s- 
tery. 

^ With them I join in giving my de- 
vontest thanks to thy Almighty fa- 
ther, and our gracious Godj who did 
not overlook lost mankind ; hut sent 
thee, his only son, to redeem us. 

With them I call to remembrance 
what thou hast done and suffered for 
US ; thine incarnation ; thy laborious 
life; thy bitter passion; thy death 
and resurrection ; the great deliver- 
ance thou hast thereby wrought for 
all mankind; and the obligations thou 
hast laid upon us. 

I acknowledge and receive thee, 
O Jesus, as our heavenly teacher ; 
as our example and pattern ; as our 



author of the Spiritual Combat, ^c. have pro- 
posed some sach help as this^ for the use and 
comfort of those devout souls, who are deprived 
of this holy sacrament in church. And to those 
we are indebted for this intimation^ &c* 



1&8 SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

only mediator and advocate with God; 
and as the sovereign judge of all 
mankind. 

With thy church I join in plead- 
ing the merits of thy all-sufficient 
sacrifice with thy eternal father. 1 
rely upon that sacrifice for the par- 
don of all my sins; for the assistance 
of the divine grace ; for deliverance 
from the corruption of my own na- 
ture, and from the malice and snares 
of the devil ; for the fellow ship of 
the holy ghost ; and for a blessed re- 
surrection ; the Lord Almighty, 
for thy sake, being reconciled unto 
me. 

I devote my spirit, soul, and body^ 
to thee, £^d to thy service, beseech- 
iiig thee to give me grace, never 
wilfully to depart from thy laws. 

I J43in with thy church, and plead 
the merits of thy sacrifice, for all 
estates and conditions of men ; that 
none may deprive themselves of that 
happiness which thou hast purchased 
by thy death : For all christian kings 
and governors j for all bishops and 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 159 

pastors ; that they may preserve the 
sacrfed rites committed to their trust; 
for all that strive to propagate thy 
gospel 5 for a primitive zeal in all 
that fear thy name ; for all that sit 
in darkness, are in error, or are des- 
titute of necessary means of instruc- 
tion ; for all that sincerely seek the 
truth ; for all sinners^^that they may 
have grace and strength to break their 
bonds 5 fl)r all that arc in adversity ; 
for all that suffer wrongfully, or that 
are deprived of their just rights ; for 
all that are in pain of body, or an- 
guish of mind and spirit ; for all that 
are tempted, or in danger of falling 
into despair ; for all that are in slave- 
ry, under persecution, in prison, or 
in poverty ; for all persons and places 
in distress by the sword, pestilence, 
and famine* ; for all that are in their 
last sickness, that they may omit no- 
thing that is necessary to make their 



* I Mace. xii. We remember you in our sa- 
crifices, and in our prayers, as reason Is, and 
as it becomes us to think \ipon our brethren. 



■'■■ ^•^. 



1? 



160 SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

peace with God ; for all widows and 
fatherless children ; for all that call 
upon Godj and have none else to help 
them ; for this land, and this church, 
that the Lord may avert the judg- 
ments which we justly deserve ; for 
our friends, our relations, or benefac- 
tors, and for our enemies; for all that 
have desired our prayers, and for the 
whole mystical body of Christ : Be- 
seeching the Almightj God, the cre- 
ator and redeemer of all, to have 
mercy upon all whom he has made 
and redeemed, and to give unto all 
grace and help, according to the ne- 
cessities they labour under, for thy 
sake, O Lord Jesus, to whom, with 
the father and the holy ghost, be all 
honour and glory, dominion and pow- 
er, for ever and ever. JbneUn 



THE LORD'S PRAYER, &c. lei 

When we consider the time when 
christians are taught to say this pray- 
er, we shall have reason to fear, that 
too many continue to repeat it all 
their lives, with as little considera- 
tion, understanding, and devotion, as 
they first learned it. 

This will make a short and plain 
paraphrase on tlds prayer, both use- 
ful and acceptable to such as desire 
to understand what they pray for. 

The Lord^s Frayev Eacplained. 
Our father which art in heaven. 

I beseech thee, O heavenly father, 
not for myself only, but for all thy 
children, that we may all live worthy 
of the relation which we bear to thee; 
that we may not sin, knowing that 
we are accounted thine ; nor wilful- 
ly offend so great, so good, so tender 
a father : but that we may love thee, 
and fear thee, not as slaves, but as 
children : that we may put our whole 
trust in thee, and depend upon thine 
infinite power, wisdom, goodness, and 



162 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

promise, to take care of us ; that we 
may leave it to thee, to choose what 
is best for us ; and bear with patience 
and resignation all thy fatherly cor- 
rections : and that we may serve thee 
with comfort and pleasure all our 
days, in hopes of the inheritance 
which thou hast promised thy obedi- 
ent children. 

Hallowed be tby name. 

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive 
glory, and honour, and power ; for 
thou hast created all things, and all 
thy works praise thee. Fill our hearts, 
O God, with a zeal for thy glory, that 
we may do thee honour, by leading 
holy lives, and by paying a great re- 
gard for every thing that belongs to 
thee ; thy name, thy day, thy house, 
thine ordinances, and thine mini- 
sters : and that others, seeing 6ur 
good works, may glorify our father 
which is in heaven. 

Thy kingdom come. 
Enlarge thy kingdom, O God, and 



PARAPHRASED. 163 

deliver the world from the dominion 
and tyranny of Satan, that the king- 
doms of the earth may become the 
kingdoms of Jesus Christ. Hasten 
the time which tliy spirit hath fore- 
told, when all nations, whom thou hast 
made, shall worsliip thee, and glorify 
thy name. Bless the good endeavors 
of those that strive to propagate the 
gospel of thy kingdom ; and prepare 
tlie hearts of all men to receive it. 
May all such as own thee for their 
king, become thy faithful subjects ! 
Vouchsafe to reign in our hearts, and 
subdue our wills entirely to thine ; 
and prepare us by thy good spirit for 
the kingdom of glory. 

Thy will be done on earthy as it is in beaven. 

Dispose me, and all thy children, 
O Lord and father, to submit cheer- 
fully to whatever thy providence shall 
order for us : hearken not to the cor- 
rupt desires of our hearts ; but to 
the voice of thine own wisdom, good- 
ness, and mercy. Give us a true 
knowledge of our duty, and an heart 



'T! 



164 THE LORD^S PRAYER 

disposed to close >vith thy will, when- 
ever it shall he made known to us, 
and to perform it with pleasure. Sub- 
due in us whatever is contrary to thy 
holy will, thai through thy grace we 
may at last become perfect, as our 
heavenly pattern is. 



Give U9 this day our daily bread* 

We look up unto, and depend up-, 
on thee, O heavenly father, for all the 
necessaries and conveniences of this 
present life. And may our bodily 
wants engage us to go daily to the 
throne of grace for the wants of our 
souls ! Let thy blessing go along with 
our honest endeavours, and keep us 
from all unjust ways of bettering our 
condition. Give us grace to impart to 
such as are in want, of what thou 
shalt give us more than our daily 
bread ; andj with all thy other favors^ 
give us, we beseech thee, the bles- 
sing of a thankful ajid contented 
Hiind* 



PARAPHRASED. 165 

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
them that trespass against us. 

Forgive us those sins, O heavenly 
father, which separate us from thee : 
Forgive us every day of our lives ; for 
every day we stand in need of par- 
don ; Give me, and all christians, a 
forgiving temper, that we may fulfil 
this condition of our pardon. Thou 
art good and merciful in forgiving us; 
grant we may be so to others, remem- 
bering our own infirmities. And may 
we all live in the same charitable 
temper, in which we hope and desire 
to die. 

And lead us not into tciDptation ; but deliver us 
from eviL 

O God and father, who hatest ini- 
quity, and knowest our infirmities, 
leave us not to the malice and power 
of the evil one, the devil, to deal with 
us as he pleaseth ; nor to ourselves, 
and to our own corrupt heart and 
lusts, lest we rashly run into tempta- 
tion. Keep us out of the way af 
temptations, and under the protection 



^ 



166 THE LORD'S PRAYER, &c. 

of thy good spirit : Suffer us not to 
be surprised by the in, nor tempted 
above ^vhut we are able to bear. Give 
us grace to resist them, and to watch 
and pray daily, that we enter not in- 
to temptation. 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power and 
the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Tlie whole creation is thine, and 
under thy government. Thine is the 
power : thou canst do whatever we 
pray for. Thou canst cause thy name 
to be sanctified in all the earth, and 
set up thy kingdom in all the world, 
and in all our hearts. Thou canst 
cause thy will to be done on earth as 
it is in heaven ; and incline us all to 
submit to it. Thou canst give us 
all things needful, both for our souls 
and for our bodies. Thou, and thou 
alone, canst forgive us our sins, 
and dispose us to forgive one ano- 
ther. Thou canst secure us in the 
day of temptation, and deliver us 
from the power of the deviL To 
thee, to thee alone, be the glory, to 
all eternity. 



SHORT 



MORNING AND EVENING 



X JiA 1l 1^15.^5 



FOR 



FAMILIES, 



AND FOR 



PAHTICULAR PERSONS. 



MOBNINe PRAYEE 

Let some one of the family, that can read, say 
devoutly what followeth, ihe rest attend- 
ing : 

The Lord hath brought us safe to 
the beginning of this day : Let ns 
therefore give thanks for thisj and for 
all his mercies. 

Let us ppay, that we may live in 
the fear of God, and continue in love 
and charity with our neighbours. 

That his holy spirit may direct and 
rule our hearts, teaching us what we 
ought to doj and what to avoid ; 

That the grace of God may ever 
be with us^ to support us in all dan- 
ger, and carry us through all temp- 
tations. 

That the Lord may bless all our 
honest endeavors^ and make us con- 



170 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

tent with what his providence shall 
order for us : 

And that we may continue his 
faithful servants this day, and unto 
our lives end. 

For all which hlessings let us de- 
voutly pray. 

Then all devoutly kneeling, let one say, 

O God, hy whom the whole world 
is governed and preserved, we give 
thee humble thanks for thy fatherly 
care over us, beseeching thee to make 
us truly sensible of thy mercies^ and 
thankful for them. 

Ghe us grace, that we miay walk 
as in thy sight, making a conscience 
of our ways j and, fearing to offend 
thee, may never fall into the sifis we 
l^ive repented of. 

Enable us to resist the temptations 
of the world, the flesh j and the ^evil; 
to follow the motions of thy good spi- 
rit ; to be serious and feoly in our 
lives ; true and just in our dealiiigs 5 
watchful over our thoughts, words, 
and actions i diligent iu'eur busiaessf 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 171 

and temperate in all tilings. 

May thy blessings be upon our 
persons, upon our labours, upon our 
substance, and upon all that belongs 
to us ! 

Give us grace, that we may ho^ 
nestly improve all the talents which 
thou hast committed to our trust : 
And that no worldly business, no 
worldly pleasures may divert us from 
the thoughts of the life to come. 

Make us sensible and thankful for 
all thy favours ; and mindful of the 
wants of others. 

' By thy mighty power defend us in 
all the assaults of our enemies : And 
grant, that this day we fall into no 
sin, neither run into any kind of 
danger ; but that all our doings may 
be ordered by thy governance, to do 
always that which is righteous in thy 
sight. 

May our gracious God give us what 
is needful for us, and grace not to 
abuse his favours ; and withal, give 
us contented rainds ! 

Give us in this world the know- 



±72 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

ledge of his truth, and in the world 
to come life everlasting. Amen. 

Hear us, O God, not according to 
our weak understanding, but accord- 
ing to the full meaning of that form 
of prayer, which Jesus Christ hath 
taughttis. 

Our father, which art in heaven ; 
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy wUl be done on earth, as 
it is in heaven. Oiveus this day, our 
daily bread. And forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us. And lead us not in- 
to temptation : but deliver us from 
evil. For thine is the kingdom, and 
the power, and the glory, lor ever and 
ever. Amen. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the love of God, and the fellow- 
ship of the holy ghost, be w itli us all 
evermore. Amen. 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 173 

On Sunday morning, let the following pray- 
er be added to your daily prayers. 

O Lord, who hast consecrated this 
good day to thy service, give us grace 
so to observe it, that it may be the 
beginning of an happy week to lis, 
and that none of thy judgments may 
fall upon US for profaning it. Fix in 
our hearts this great truth, that here 
we have no abiding place, that we 
may seriously and timely provide for 
another life; and grant that this great 
concern may make us very desirous 
to learn our duty, and to do what 
thou requirest of us. And blessed be 
God, that we have churches to go to ; 
that we have time to serve our crea- 
tor ; that we have pastors to teach 
us ! the Lord prosper their labours, 
and give ns grace to profit by them ; 
that they and we may enjoy an ever- 
lasting sabbath with thy saints in 
heaven, foy Jesus Christ's sake ! 



17i FAMILY PRAYERS. 



EVENING PRAYERS 



\i:ft 4 ^^tttil'^ 



Let one standing read, or say devoutly, what 
followeth J the rest of the family attend- 
ing: 

By the favour of God, we are come 
to the evening of this day ; and we 
are so much nearer our latter end. 

Let us seriously consider this, and 
pray God to fit us for the hour of 
death. 

Let us with penitent hearts beseech 
him to pardon our sins ; and to deli- 
ver us from the evils which we have 
justly deserved. 

Let us resolve to amend where we 
have done amiss, and pray God that 
his grace may ever be with us : 

And that we may be safe under his 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 175 

protection, who alone can defend ns 
from the J)owers of darkness. 

For all which blessings let us de- 
voutly pray. 

Then all devoutly kneeling, let one say, 

O Lord, and heavenly father, we 
acknowledge thy great goodness to 
to us, in sparing us when we deserve 
punishment ; in giving us the neces- 
saries of this life ; and in setting be- 
fore us the happiness of a better. 

The merciful God pardon our of- 
fences ; correct and amend what is 
amiss in us ; that as we grow in years 
we may grow in grace ; and the near- 
er we come to our latter end, we may 
be the better prepared for it ! 

In the midst of life we are in death. 
Lord, grant that these thoughts may 
make us careful how we live, that we 
may escape the bitter pains of eter- 
nal death. 

Take from us all ignorance, hard- 
ness of heart, and too much careful- 
ness for the things of this life. 

Make us an household fearing God, 

Q 



Ml 



176 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

submitting ourselves to thy good 
pleasure, and putting our whole trust 
in thy mercy. 

Grant that true religion and piety 
may be secured and countenanced 
amongst us ; and that impiety, pro- 
faneness, and infidelity may effectu- 
ally be discouraged, that thy judg- 
ments may not fall upon this sinful 
nation. 

Continue to us, and to all thy 
church, the means of grace and sal- 
vation. Cause that the saving truths 
of the gospel may be received in all 
the world : and that christians may 
not content themselves with shadows 
of religion, but endeavour after that 
holiness, without which no man must 
see the Lord. 

Bemember, gracious God, for good 
all those that are over us in the Lord, 
who watch for our souls, as they that 
must give an account, that they may 
do it with joy. We commend unto 
thy tender compassion all that are in 
error, and sincerely seek the truth : 
All such as are destitute of necessa- 



.* 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 177 

ry means and instructions r all that 
are engaged in sinful courses, that 
they may have grace and strength to 
break their bonds : all that labour 
under trials and afflictions : all sick 
and dying persons, tliat they may 
omit nothing that is necessary to 
make their peace with thee, before 
they die ; and also such as never 
pray for themselves, that they may 
see, before it be too late, the danger 
of living without God in the world* 
Vouchsafe unto us an interest in the 
prayers of thy holy church through- 
out the world, which have been this 
day offered to the throne of grace. 

Let thy blessing, O Lord, be with 
us : defend us from all perils and 
dangers of this night : and grant, 
that when we depart this life, we may 
rest in peace, and in hope of a bles- 
sed resurrection, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Hear us, O merciful God, not ac- 
cording to our weak understanding, 
but according to the full meaning of 



178 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

that form of prayer wliicli Jesus 
Christ has taught us : 

Our father which art in heaven^ ^c. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the love of Grod, and the fellow- 
ship of the holy ghost,^ be with us all j 
evermore. Amen. 



On Sunday erening, let the following prayer 
be added to your daily prayers. 

Almighty God, by whom all things 
were made and are preserved, give 
vs hearts to know, and grace to con- 
sider this, that we may cheerfully 
commit ourselves, and all that be- 
longs to us, to thy merciful care; that 
we may ever look up to thee for what 
we want; be thankful for thy favours; 
never resist thy dealings with us, or 
neglect the means of grace which thy 
providence aifords us. Blessed be 
God, who giveth us what is ever best 
for us ; who keepeth us from dan- 
gers, and hath provided for us better 



w^ 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 479 

than all our works can deserve ! the 
good Lord make us mindful of our 
dutj, that as we often hear how we 
ought to wallv, fvtid to please God, 
we may continue to do so unto our 
lives end, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 



Qf£ 



iSO FAMILY PRAYERS- 



PRAIEMS 

FOR PARTICULAR PERSONS, 
BOTH 

MORNING AND EVENING. 

IN THE MORNING. 

Consider the danger of going into an evil 
world, and then you will never fail to pray 
for the blessing, protection, and grace, of 
God, every morning of your life. 

THE PRAYER. 

^TVliat shall I render unto the ] 
Lordj for his mercies renewed unto f 
me every morning ? I will offer the 
sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay 
my vows unto the most high. 



* Psalm cxvi. 



FAMILY PRAYERS. IS.i 

And may God accept of my most 
hearty thanks for my preservation 
and refreshment, and for all the bles- 
sings of the night past, and of my 
life past ! 

Possess my soul, gracious God, 
with such a sense of this thy goodness, 
and of my dependence upon thee for 
life, and health, and prosperity, and 
comfort, that it may be my delight, as 
it is my duty and interest, to serve 
and obey thee. 

And, that 1 may do this with a qui- 
et mind, forgive me the sins of which 
my conscience is afraid ; and avert 
the judgments which I have justly 
deserved.. 

Give me grace, that I may conti- 
nue in thy fear ail the day long ; and 
that I may live and act as having thee, 
O God, the constant witness of my 
conduct ; and that it may be the pur- 
pose of my soul never to offend thee 
wilfully. 

May thy restraining grace preserve 
me from the temptations of an evil 
world, from the frailty and corruptioa 



183 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

of my own nature^ and from the evil 
principles and practices of the age 
we live in I 

Possess my heart with a sincere 
love for thee, and for all mankind ; 
and grant that I may have this com- 
fortable and sure proof of thy love 
abiding in me, that I study to please 
thee, and to keep thy command- 
ments. 

Give me a tender compassion for 
the wants and miseries of my neighs 
hour, that thou mayest have compas- 
sion upon me, O God. 

In all my ways I do acknowledge 
thee. Do thou, O Lord, direct my 
paths, and teach me to guide my af- 
fairs, my designs, my words and ac- 
tions, with charity, discretion, justice, 
and piety.. 

Shew me the way that I should 
walk in, and give me grace to follow 
the conduct of thy good spirit, that 
I may do my duty in that state of 
life, in which thy providence has 
placed me. 

Let me ever remember, that the 



FAMILY PUAYER&. 183 

night Cometh when no man can work, 
and that now is the time in which to 
provide for eternity. 

Grant, gracious God, that no w orld- 
ly pleasures, no worldly business, 
may ever make me lose the sight of 
death, or forget the dangers that sur- 
round me. 

Fill my heart with the dread of 
the punishments prepared for impe- 
nitent sinners, and my soul with a 
sense of the blessings which will be 
the sure reward of all them that love 
tliee, and obey thy laws. 

Hear me, O heavenly father, not 
according to my imperfect petitions^ 
but according to the full meaning of 
that holy prayer, w bich thy belayed 
son hath taught us : 

Our father, which art in heaven ; 
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy will be done on earth, as 
it is in heaven. Give us this day, our 
daily bread. And forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us. xVnd lead us not in- 



18* FAMILY PRAYERS. 

to temptation : but deliver us from 
eyil. For thine is the kingdom, and 
the power, and the glory, ior ever and 
ever. Amen. 



EVENING PRAYER. 

Every thoughtful person, before he lieth do\vn 
to sleep, will put himself under the protection 
of God, who giveth his angels charge con- 
cerning bis elect, to preserve them from the 
powers of darkness, from the dangers of the 
night, and from all sad accidents. 

That it hath pleased God to add 
another day to the years of my life, 
and that he hath kept me from the 
dangers of an evil world : For these 
and for all his mercies from day ta 
day bestowed upon me, I bless his 
good and gracious providence, most 
earnestly beseeching him to pardon 
my offences of the day past, and to 
grant that they mky never rise up in 
judgment against me. 

Lord, the frailty of man, without 
thee, cannot but fall: In all tempta- 
tions, therefore, I beseech thee to 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 185 

succour me, that no sin may ever get 
the dominion over me. 

Give me a salutary dread of the 
corruption of my own heart: Make 
me truly sensible of the end of sin, 
and mindful of my own infirmities 
and backslidings. 

Vouchsafe unto all sinners a true 
sense of their unhappy state, a fear of 
thy judgments, and grace and 
strength to break their bonds. 

Enlighten my soul with saving 
truth : Correct me in mercy, and re- 
duce me when 1 go astray. Make me 
ever mindful of my latter end, and 
fix in my heart a lively sense of the 
happiness and misery of the world to 
come. 

May the thoughts of death morti- 
fy in me all pride and covetousness, 
and a love for this world ; and may 
my firm belief of a judgment to 
come make me ever careful to please 
thee, my Lord and judge, that I may 
find mercy at that day ! 

Grant that I may lie down to sleep 
with the same charitable and forgiV- 



18(5 FAMILY PRAYERS. 

ing temper, in which I desire and 
hope to die. 

And may the Almighty God take 
me, and all that helongs to me, under 
his gracious and powerful protection! 
may he give his angels charge con- 
cerning us, and keep us in perpetual 
peace and safety, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord ! 



St. John xvi. 23. Verily, I say unto you, 
whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my 
name^ he will give it you* 



In thy name, O Jesus, and in the 
full meaning of the words which thou 
hast taught us, I pray God, for thy 
sake, to hear me, and to give me what 
is most convenient for me : 

Our father, which art in heaven ; 
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy will be done on earth, as 
it is in heaven. Give us this day our 
daily bread. And forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us. And lead us not into 



m^ ^ 



FAMILY PRAYERS. 187 

temptation : But deliver us from 
evil. For thine is the kingdom, and 
the power, and the glory, for eveT 
and ever. Amen. 



THE END. 



R 



.^ 



SERMON, 



'4- 

BT THE 



RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, 



^90n4$ mu$0n, D. D. 



BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN, 



Though he he dead^ he yet speaketh. 



] 



SERMON. 

The necessity, and the great blessing 
and comfort of securing^the fellow- 
ship of the holy ghost. 

Rom. viii. 14. For as many aa are led by the 
spirit of God, tbey are the sons of God.* 

When aur blessed Lord was to 
leave the world, he assured his dis- 
ciples, that one sliould be sent to sup- 
ply his place ; to comfort them for 
his absence -, to guide them into all 
truth ; to bring all things to their re- 
membrance, whatever he had taught 



* See Rom. viii. 9, 16. Gal. v. 22, 25. i 
John UK 10, 24. 

R 2 



192 THE COMFORT OP SECURING THE 

j 
them ; to sanctify tlieir persons, and 

bless theii' labors. By whose labors 
we, amongst many other nations,, 
have been brought out of darkness 
and error, into the clear light and 
true knowledge of God, and of his 
son Jesus Christ. 

This indeed is a mighty blessing f 
but this is not all. This would not 
have answered the great love and de- 
sign of God, to save his lost crea- 
tures : for such is the weakness and 
corruption of our nature, that though 
we should be convinced, even by mi- 
racles, of the truth of the gospel ; 
though we should know the will of 
God never so well j yet we are not 
able,^of ourselves, to walk in the com- 
mandments of God. And therefore, 
it was necessary, that the same spi- 
rit, which enabled the apostles of 
Christ to convert the world, should 
continue to guide, to assist, to defend, 
and sanctify, all such as by their mi- 
nistry should be converted, in the 
great work of tlieir salvation ; that 
is, all such as beinsj convinced of the 



FELLOWSHIP OF the HOLY GHOST. 193 

truth of ehpistianity do desire to walk 
worthy of that name and calling. 

For it is too plain and sad a truth 
to be denied, that all are not chris- 
tians indeed, who yet own the truth 
of the gospel ; and are persuaded of 
the necessity of obeying^ it, and have 
embraced its profession. Not that the 
holy spirit denies his graces to an 
that are dedicated to him in baptismj 
but men thrust him from, them ; re- 
fuse to ask his assistance; griere him 
by their evil deeds, and force him ta 
forsake them, and to leave them to 
themselves, and to the government of 
evil spirits, who walk about like roar- 
ing lions, seeking whom they may be 
permitted to devour, finding them 
forsaken of God, and prepared for 
destruction. 

Forasmuch y therefore, as it would 
be no blessing for men to be convinc- 
ed of the truth of the christian reli- 
gion, by considering the miraculous 
powers of the holy ghost, by wliich 
it was at first established, unless they 
afterwards live answerable to what 



±9% THE COMFORT or SECURING THE 

that religion requires of them, (which 
they cannot possibly do, without the 
continual grace and assistance of that 
same holy spirit) the scriptures 
therefore are yery express in exhort- 
ing christians to strive and pray for 
the graces of the holy spirit, that they 
may live as they have believed. 

And that christians may not b(j 
mistaken, and lav too much stress 
upon their being made in baptism 
children of God, and heirs of the 
kingdom of heaven, without taking 
great care to live like children of sa 
holy a father, and like people wha 
hope to go to heaven ; the sacred 
scriptures, 1 say, have most particu- 
larly set down the marks and charac- 
ters of such christians as may hope 
for benefit by their christian profes- 
sion. If any mam hath not the spirit 
of Christ, s^aith St. Paul, * he is none 
of his. If we live in the spirit, saith 
he, in ajiother place,§ let us also walk 
in ^ spirit ; that is, if we pretend 

*Rom. viii. 9. §Gal. v. 25. 



FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 195 

to be born again, let us live like peo- 
ple that are become new creatures. 
And in the words which I have cho- 
sen for a text, as many, saith he, as 
are led by the spirit of God, they, and 
they only, are the sons of God. They 
only can call God father, so as to be 
heard by him, so as to have their 
prayers answered, so as to be reward- 
ed by him. 

And that christians may not fancy 
that they are led by the spirit of God, 
when indeed they are not, the same 
apostle* sets down in plain terms, 
what are the fruits of the spirit of 
God, or of 01^ that is led by the spi- 
rit of God. The fruit of the spirit is 
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, cour- 
teousness, goodness, (or a readiness 
to do good) faithfulness, meekness, 
temperance, (or continence.) 

From this it appears, that men are 
not masters of themselves. Led they 
must be, either by the spirit and pow- 
ers of darkness, or by the spirit of 

^Gal. V. 22. 



196 THE COMFORT of SECUftlNG THE 

God. It is for this reason that God, 
for Christ's sake, has given us the 
earnest of his spirit in haptism ; with 
this assurance, that he who submits 
to he governed by his spirit, and 
brings forth fruit worthy of such a 
favour, he shall still have greater fa- 
vours conferred upon him ; but he 
that is not careful to improve the 
graces God gives him, from him shall 
be taken away, even what was before 
bestowed upon him. 

Now, if men, notwithstanding this^^ 
caution given them, will be making* 
experiments how far they may ne- 
glect their duty, without losing the 
earnest of God's spirit ; if they will 
try to govcMi themselves by their 
own reason and wisdom, laying aside 
the laws of God; why then they may, 
indeed, take themselves from under 
God's oversight and direction ; but 
servants still they must be, and led 
they must be, by the spii'it and pow- 
ers of darkness ; they only change 
masters, (for a master they must 
have) and how much for the worse, 
sad experience will soon shew ! 



BWWWWf'i^PM 



FELLOWSHIP oiP the HOLY GHOST. 197 

It is for this reason that humility, 
and care, and watchfulness, are so 
much recommended in scripture ; 
lest christians should grow conceited 
of their own wisdom and ability to 
govern themselves ; lest they should 
neglect the means of grace which 
God has already given them ; and 
lest, being off their guard, the devil 
should at last be permitted to take 
them into his kingdom and service ; 
from whence they cannot return to 
Ood when they please, no more than 
a dead man can return to life by his 
own power. 

And this, by the way, is the true 
reason why neither advice, nor au- 
thority, neither the hopes of heaven, 
nor the fears of hell, can prevail with 
some sinners to forsake the evil ways 
they have taken. They are not their 
own masters ; they are servants to 
one, who wiU not suffer them to re- 
turn to sober reason ; they have for- 
saken God, and God has given them 
up to a reprobate mind, a mind void 
of judgment j so that they commit 



198 THE COMFORT or SECURING THE 

all iniquity with greediness, yea, 
though they see their ruin attends 
it. 

On the other hand, such as are led 
by the spirit of God do experience 
his assistance in the whole course of 
their lives ; enlightening their un- 
derstandings, convincing their judg- 
ments, awakening their consciences, 
curing the perverseness of their na- 
ture, and filling their souls with all 
those graces and virtues which are 
necessary to fit men for heaven. 
Hence it comes to pass, that men 
who of themselves are not able to 
think one good thought, yet by God's 
grace and spirit do plainly perceive 
the excellency of religion and piety, 
the folly and unreasonableness of 
sin ; the happiness that attends the 
one, and the misery that must be the 
reward of the other. 

Henc^ it comes to pass, that a poor 
weak creature, assisted by the spirit 
of God, is able to resist the prince of 
darkness with all his host of evil an- 
gels. Hence it is, that man, who is 



|»»,J I ^M<*«^ L- 



-FELLOWSHIP OP THE HOLY GHOST. 199 

naturally proud and obstinate, is yet 
brought to humble himself before 
God, acknowledge his own nothing- 
ness, confess his sinfulness, and that 
he merits nothing but misery. Hence 
it is, that man, who is naturally blind 
and ignorant in the things which 
most nearly concern his eternal wel- 
fare, yet enlightened by the spirit of 
God, can very readily apprehend di- 
vine truths, can see the wisdom, and 
goodness, and love of God, in all that 
he has commanded or requires of us. 
And, to give no more instances but 
this one, of the power of the spirit of 
God upon those with whom he dwells, 
and who suffer themselves to be led 
by him ; hence it is that christians 
are brought to embrace doctrines so 
very uneasy to flesh and blood, so ve- 
ry unacceptable to corrupt reason :— ^ 
Blessed are they that mourn ; bles- 
sed are the poor in spirit ; blessed 
are they that are persecuted for righ- 
teousness sate. Love your enemies; 
bless them that cuise you ; do good 
to them that use you spitefully. 

S 



200 THE COMFORT or SECURING THE 

Well, though all these truths were 
delivered hy the son of God himself; 
though they were confirmed by infi- 
nite miracles ; yet if God had not 
sent his holy spirit into our hearts, 
we might indeed have heard these 
doctrines, but receive them we never 
could, much less have practised 
them. But by the assistance of God's 
good spirit, all these things are made 
easy to the understandings, accepta- 
ble to the wills, and possible in the 
practice, to all true believers. 

Now this great blessing, of the fel- 
lowship of the holy ghost, is so far 
from being given as a reward of any 
thing we have done, or can do, that 
it is bestowed upon us before we can 
do any thing at all ; namely, when 
we are received into covenant with 
God ; for then (that is, at our bap- 
tism) we are made children of God^ 
a new creation, temples of the holy 
ghost, and heirs of the kingdom of 
heaven. And our life after tliis, be 
it never so holy, is entirely owing to 
the constant influence, guidance, and 
assistance of this blessed spirit. 



i 



FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 2M 

And it is for this reason, tliat chris- 
tians are so often admonished not to 
look upon tiieir own works as any 
thing in God's account meriting our 
justification ; since as God, for 
Christ's sake, forgives us our sins, so 
it is tlie spirit of God alone, which 
enables us to walk wortliy of sucli a 
favour all our days ; shewing our 
thankfulness for the same, by our 
obedience ; and glorifying God for 
his mercy to us, by an holy life. 

Now, forasmuch as christians are 
but too apt to fall into a carnal secu- 
rity, they are to be often called upon 
to try whether they have the spirit 
of God dwelling in them, or whether 
they have not lost, or are in danger 
of losing, so necessary a guide ? 

But how must they do this ? why, 
thev must have such marks as cannot 
possibly deceive any, but such as are 
willing to be deceived. We do not 
bid them, for instance, look to their 
own inward experiences, since even 
good men often lament their want of 
faith, even when tliey are supported 



^02 THE COxMFORT of SECURING THE 

by it. And many with little reason, 
fancy tliemselves to have the spirit 
of God, when ^ worse spirit governs 
them. 

We must therefore tell christians, 
that they have noway so sure of know- 
ing whether they have the spirit of 
God, as by considering the fruits the 
spirit which possesseth them pro- 
duceth in them; namely, whether 
their great aims and designs are to 
be happy in this world, or to please 
God, and to secure the fellowship of 
his holy spirit unto their lives end. 
lliis, every body is capable of know- 
ing, who v/ill be at the pains of search- 
ing the bottom of his own heart. For 
if lie finds that his thoughts are chief- 
ly npon another world, and that this 
so affects his heart, that his endea- 
vours after holiness are sincere; then 
he mav be well assured all is well 
with him. He has the word of God 
for it.* "There is verily now no con- 
demnation to them which are in 



*Rom. viii. 1, 16. 



FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 205 

Christ Jesus, who walk not after the 
flesh, but after the sph'it. Tlie same 
spirit beareth witness with our spirit, 
(or conscience) that we are tlic sous 
of God.'' That is, if we are led by the 
spirit of God to walk worthy of him 
that hath called us, we may be satis- 
fied in our minds, that we are under 
God's protection, guidance, and fa- 
vour. 

It now remains, that we consider 
how we may continue so ; that is, 
how we may secure the fellowship of 
the holy ghost, which we received in 
ibaptism, unto our lives^ end. 

And first, Though we owe all the 
grace which God has given us to his 
holy spirit, and must always depend 
upon him for the continuance of it, 
yet we must still exert our best en- 
deavours in the use of those means 
which God has ordained, in order to 
fit us for heaven. For certainly men 
take the most effectual way to de- 
prive themselves of God's assistance 
when they neglect to do what is al- 
ready in their own power, that i^^ 

S 2 



204 THE COMFORT OF SECURING THE 
what God lias enabled them to do. 



though it be never so little ; for when 
a man does what he can, it is a sign 
that he is sincere. And therefore, at 
the same time tliat the scriptures bid 
us to depend upon God, they exhort 
us to work out our own salvation f" 
that is, on our part, to do all that God 
by his preventing grace has convinc- 
ed us we ought to do, and which by 
his assisting grace he will enable us 
to do, if we sincerely ask his help. 

And secondly^ That we may secure 
the presence and assistance of God's 
spirit, we must be careful to mind 
his godly motions, exciting us to our 
duty, checking us when we are doing 
amiss^ and comforting us when we do 
what pleaseth God. Not to do this is, 
as the apostle speaks,^ doing despite 
to the spirit of grace ; resisting the 
holy ghost, as St. Stephen says** the 
Jews and their fathers had done, 
which brought destruction upon 
them. 



^Phil. ii. 12. §Heb. x. %9. ^^*Acts \\u 5L 



FELLOWSHIP OF the HOLY GHOST. 205 

Lastly, We must above all things 
be careful not to grieve and provoke 
him to forsake us, by sensuality, by 
unoleanness, or by livmg in any 
known sin ; and even by an undue 
application to, and an affection for^ 
earthly things^ which our Lord as- 
sures us,* vvil! choak the word, and 
the spirit, by which it becomes a 
means of grace, and it becometh un- 
fruitful. 

If to tbis we add our sincere pray- 
ers, out of a true sense of our own 
inability, and God's readiness to help 
us through the mediation of Jesus 
Christ, we shall then be secure of 
the assistance of God's holy spirit, 
being assured by our Lord hims^lf,§ 
that aur heavenly father will give the 
holy spirit to them that ask him, as 
certainly and readily as any father 
will give good things to his children 
that ask him bread, or what is need- 
ful for their life and well-being. 



"^Matt. xiii. 2%. §Luke xi. 13. 



206 THE COMFORT OF SECURING THE 

And now, good christians, you see 
the necessity of ciiristian baptism, 
by which we have the spirit given 
unto us ; without which spirit it is 
impossible for any man to work out 
his salvation. You see the reason 
why very many^ though they liave 
received the earnest of God's spirit 
in baptisniy are yet as wicked as tiiose 
that never heard whether there wa& 
^ny holy ghost or not. They have ne- 
glected his motions; they have griev- 
ed him by their evil deeds ; they 
hav^ forced him from them, and are 
become servants of another master, 
whose delight is in wickedness. You 
see therefore the necessity there is 
of walking warily, lest by adding one 
sin to another we provoke God to 
leave us to ourselves ; for then you 
have heard who it is that immediate- 
ly takes possession of us. 

You see of what little use it is to 
be convinced of the truth of the chris- 
tian religion, if we do not seriously 
apply to the spirit for grace to live as 
becomes the gospel of Christ. Last- 



FELLOWSHIP or the HOLY GHOST. 207 

ly, you see the danger of neglecting 
the means of grace which the provi- 
dence of God affords us : it is the 
ready way to be forsaken of God, and 
left to ourselves. 

To conclude. Do we desire the sa- 
tisfaction of knowing whether we are 
under the government of the spirit 
of God ? If so, we are to consider 
whether we are led by the spirit of 
God ; that is, whether the fruits and 
eflfects of that holy spirit appear in 
our lives and conversations. If, for 
instance, we love God, and endeavor 
to please him to the best of our pow- 
er ; if we love our neighbour in deed 
and in truth ; that is, doing good as 
well as giving good words 5 if we are 
just in all our dealings, doing to 
others as we would be dealt with our- 
selves; if we deny our own wills, and 
resolve never to please ourselves by 
displeasing God ; if we are afraid of 
sin, and keep at a distance from it ; 
if we apply to God in all our neces- 
sities, and willingly submit to what 
his providence shall order for us ; 



208 THE COMFORT or SEQURINGTHE 

why then we are sure these are the 
fruits of the spirit, that he abideth 
with us, and will be with us, while 
we continue to walk in this way* 

On the other hand : If a man has 
cast off the fear of God ; runs head* 
long into temptations ; lives in the 
practice of known sins ; is fond of 
every thing that may divert his 
thoughts from the care of his soul j 
why then he may be sure of it, he is 
led by the devil, and is in the way of 
perdition. 

Let us therefore not flatter our- 
selves in a concern of so great mo- 
ment. A wicked life is a sure mark 
that men do not belong to God. The 
apostle speaks plain to this purpose:*" 
In this the children of God are ma- 
nifest, and the children of the devil : 
whosoever doeth not righteousness is 
not of God. 

In one word i If we would secure 
the friendship and fellowship of the 



1 John iiu 10. 



FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 209 

holy ghost, we must listen to him, 
and ohey his godly motions; we must 
keep a conscience void of offence to- 
wards God £5 towards man. We must 
pray daily for his gracious assistance, 
and commit ourselves entirely to his 
guidance and blessing. And that we 
may not helieve every spirit, we must 
still have an eye to the word of God, 
established by miracles ; by which 
we shall easily distinguish his will 
from the suggestions of our own cor- 
rupt hearts ; we shall see the truth, 
be governed by it, and shall be secure 
from fear of evil. 

Now unto him who sanctifieth us, 
and to Jesus who has redeemed us, 
and to God our creator, be all honour 
and glory for ever. Amen. 



n 



y 



CONTENTS. 

A short introduction to the true 
..^^.-.t-nainj of the Lord's 

A^Sr of tbankfulness for 
God's sending Ws own son to ^^ 

redeem mankind, 

SECT. XI. 

The end and institution of the 

Lord's Supper, 
A prayer for retaining a grate- 

ful remembrance of what 

Christ has done for us m this 

divine institution, 

SECT. III. 

How a christian ought to pre- 
pare himself for tliis sacra- 
ment, 

The first head of self-examma- 
tion concerning our repent- 
ance. 



16 



23 



35 



36 



CONTENTS. 

Page 
A prayer for repentance, 30 

SECT. IV. 

Concerning our purposes of 
leading a new or a christian 

A prayer for the grace of loving 
G od with all our hearts, ^e. 85 

SECT. y. 

Conceding our duty to our 

neighbour and ourself, 36 

The prayer on that occasion, 40 

SECT. VI. 

An enquiry, whether we have a 
lively faith in God's mercy, 
through Christ, 41 

The prayer on that occasion, 43 

SECT. VII 

An enquiry, whether wc have a 
thankful remembrance of 
Christ's death, 44 

The prayer on that occasion^ 48 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 
SECT VIII. 

An enquiry, whether we are in 

charity with all the world, 49 

The prayer on that occasion, 5 1 



SECT. IX. 

General observations, pertinent 
to the subject of the foreg'o- 
ing sections, 52 

A prayer adapted to tliis occa- 
sion, 59 

SECT. X. 

Meditations on several texts of 
scripture, proper to be used a 
little before receiving, 60 

Introduction to the order of ad- 
ministration of the Lord's 
Supper, 74 

The order for administration of 
the blessed sacrament, with 
suitable observations and di- 
rections, ' 74f 

Private devotions after the sacra- 
ment, either in the church or 
at home. i4i 



contents.. 

Page. 

Concerning spiritual commu- 
nion, ^^^ 

A brief and plain paraphrase on 
the Lord's prayer, 161 

Morning prajer for a family, 169 

A family prayer for Sunday 
morning, 1^^ 

J^ ening prayer for a family, 1 74- 

A family prayer for Sunday e- 
vening, 1'''^ 

Prayers for particular persons, 
both morning and evening, 18© 

A Sermon on the holy spirit, 
by Bishop Wilson, 189 



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Treatment Date: March 2006 

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A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION •! 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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